Before Lightning Struck
by WinterRise
Summary: The 1970's were a turbulent time all around the world. The Magical World was no exception. This is the story of James and Lily before Harry, The Marauders and their Minions. The first war with Voldemort. What was life like with Voldemort rising? My story includes James, Lily, Sirius, Mars, Remus, Dor, Frank, Alice, The Potters and of course, Hogwarts.
1. Chapter One September 1, 1976

**Chapter One: September 1, 1976**

She took it at a bit of a run. She wasn't nervous. The Platform nine and three-quarters was the magical passage to the Hogwarts Express. She'd enjoyed this trial-by-fire introduction to magic for years; it seemed a risky way to start especially her first time but magic, it seemed, required an element of risk. Then, just like magic, she was on the other side. She still preferred the _Swoosh_ to the _Fade-In_.

The hardest part of the summer holidays, even worse than fighting with Tuni and ignoring Sev's pleas, was adhering to The Decree for the Reasonable Restriction for Underage Sorcery. You see, Lily was not an ordinary person. As it happened, Lily was a witch, and as such, she preferred doing ordinary things magically, with clever little spells and charms. She very much missed magic during the summer holiday. It was tediously mundane doing everyday chores without magic and in Lily's opinion quite frankly ridiculous. Magic elevated routine tasks such as folding laundry, making beds, drying dishes or even tying the laces on her trainers, to unpredictable outcomes, potentially disastrous misadventures but always joyfully amusing experiences. On top of which, she could always do with more practice.

However, Lily was not permitted to do magic during summer holiday. Technically, no one of the under seventeen was but because she lived with her parents who were utterly ordinary, her magic would be detected. The Evans's, Lily's parents, were Muggles you see, that is to say non-magic folk. As a witch born of Muggles she was classified as a Muggle-born in the Wizarding Hierarchy Department of the Ministry of Magic. She was also one of only two magical people in her own very ordinary home town; Sev being the other, and they were no longer on friendly terms. Lily, like Sev was monitored by the Ministry of Magic by means of the Trace. As an under Muggle-born witch her magic certainly would not go unnoticed.

The Trace is a Charm and its placement on underage witches and wizards at birth became law when the magical community went into hiding. In 1689, an agreement within the world-wide magical community called The International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy was instituted for a witches and wizards in every country. The Trace, as part of this agreement, was meant to protect the magical community from being discovered by Muggles. Still, it was utterly restrictive; punitive really, for Muggle-borns. Because of The Trace, underage witches and wizards were monitored by the Ministries of their respective countries until they were of age, that age being seventeen years, therefore, her magic certainly would be detected. Pure and half-bloods could count on their smaller, less sophisticated and often unsuccessful magic to ... fly under the radar, as it were, in a home full of the powerful magic of the resident adults.

Lily envied pure-blood's early exposure to magical learning. As her parents were Muggles (her sister Petunia exemplifying the worst sort of Muggle imaginable), Lily was quite the family oddity. She felt totally isolated in her childhood home and wondered when she was little if there was something wrong with her that is, she did until she met Sev. Lily never intentionally broke Wizarding Law therefore, her summers were strictly and lamentably ... magic-free. The most she could look forward to now were visiting owls delivering her news from her friends and that was something. Nonetheless, she had grown to dread magic-free summers in her family home and to resent The Ministry of Magic for singling her out as a Muggle-born in this way.

While her friends at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry couldn't wait for summer with their families, Lily could look forward to living like a Muggle while in her "normal" home. By the end of third term, her head was always overflowing with all she'd learned, new spells, Charms and Enchantments, not to mention Potions and she no longer had anyone to share these with. Her friendship with Sev, the only other magical person for miles, came to a sad, bitter and very public end this year and as a result, this summer she felt more isolated from the magical world than she ever thought possible. But she'd survived the dreaded summer holiday yet once again and at long last, today was the first of September! Summer holiday had come to a merciful end and she was going back to Hogwarts where she could do all the magic she pleased!

Platform nine and three-quarters was a welcome whirlwind of activity. It literally hummed with magic; she could feel it the instant she crossed the magical barrier. The air was thick with owls gliding silently overhead, searching for their own witch's or wizard's shoulders. Though Lily believed that some were actually kneazles either in disguise or pretending, the usual clowder of cats, was busy greeting one another with meows and head nudges. Occasionally a toad would escape its owner and could be seen hopefully hopping its way to freedom. Witches were sharing hugs and wizards were slapping each other on the back good-naturedly. Trolleys loaded, some with toddlers, but all with trunks, empty owl cages and piles of packages tied with string from Diagon Alley were either in the way or were rolled toward the train by harassed looking wizards.

The crimson carriages were steadily filling with chattering students while their parents looked on, missing them already or perhaps feeling jealously sentimental as, they'd all attended Hogwarts in their time. The magnificent black steam engine filled the blue autumn sky with thick, white mist tattooed by the occasional belch of coal black soot. She'd made it a tradition to search for the even the faintest trace of rainbows peeking out from the thick white steam of the The Hogwarts Express as it warmed up for the day-long journey to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Lily, as always, lingered on the platform; there was much to enjoy today. Magic surrounded her here, performed mainly by Hogwarts students, showing off as their parents proudly looked on. Though the young were dressed in typical Muggle attire the adult witches and wizards were dressed properly, that is, in full magical regalia! Elegant velvet cloaks in colors that could only be the result of a charm or spell displayed embroidered symbols of power, runes, magical animals that moved, celestial bodies that revolved and rotated and even the occasional family crest could be seen, likely displayed by pure-bloods. Cloaks swished and swirled with the wearer as their momentum changed as though choreographed just for Lily's amusement. Elderly witches displaying the family jewels, were gloved and stood just a bit taller in their high button boots. Then there were the hats! Top hats in deepest purple, bowler hats in blue and wizard hats worn with a stylish tilt. Witches and wizards adored their hats and today especially, they were ever present for style and show. It was a big day in the Wizarding World and whenever witches and wizards got together they couldn't help showing off.

"Lily!" Marlene McKinnon, Dorcas Meadows, Alice Prewett and Mary McDonald were marching her way, arm-in arm.

"It's about time! We've been looking for you since we arrived!" scolded Marlene affectionately. Marlene McKinnon was tall for her age, with a lean, athletic build, deep blue eyes, perfect teeth, very long electrum blond hair, reminiscent of Veela and the overall effect made Marlene a vision of loveliness. She embodied the girl-next-door look, slightly tanned but not because she worked at it rather, she just enjoyed spending much of her time outside. Marlene was a pure-blood and Lily's first friend at Hogwarts (well, after Sev). Lily felt a special affection for Marlene even if she always seemed to know things about Lily that Lily didn't want anyone to know.

"Did ya miss me my ginger?" Dorcas barked. Dorcas Meadows was not tall, she was quite small really but her personality always made her seem larger than she actually was. She had bright brown eyes and long eyelashes. Her skin was a shade darker than Marlene's and her hair, a shiny, golden brown fell in smooth, winding curls all the way down her back. She had a petite athletic build and a mischievous smile. Dorcas was a half-blood; her mother was a witch while her father was an important Muggle diplomate requiring her family to travel often and that suited Dorcas just fine. She liked adventure and the unpredictable. Dorcas ... well ... Dorcas was different, rebellious and unusual really even for a witch; she did not concern herself with what other people thought. She came to King's Cross Station by means of the infamous Knight Bus! Given a choice, no witch or wizard would ever choose to ride anywhere on the Knight Bus; it was for the stranded who obviously had no choice. But Dorcas, well, she was different. Thus, The Knight Bus. She reminded Lily of the witch version of Sirius Black who was reputed to own a Muggle motor cycle.

"Figured you might be late because Petunia just had to have one last go at you!" Alice said in a disgusted voice. Alice Prewett, like Marlene was a pure-blood; the Prewett family were members of The Sacred Twenty-Eight though they did not hold with the notion that magic belonged exclusively to pure-blood families. The Prewett's were known as blood-traitors and they were proud of it. Alice was a tiny witch but fierce; her favorite class was Defense Against the Dark Arts and was easily the best of her friends in a duel. She wore her dark brown hair very short, better for dueling she claimed, in a pixie style cut that screamed the 70's. She had large doe-brown eyes that tended to make people feel as ease. She was a curvaceous little witch with light skin and freckles across her nose. Alice was also the only witch in their group with a steady boyfriend. Frank Longbottom adored Alice Prewett and she felt just the same about him.

"Well, I wasn't worried in the least Lily! I knew you would be here in good time," added Mary McDonald. Mary was Muggle-born like Lily and she understood the ins and outs of Muggle travel. The two Muggle-born witches shared a knowing look. "I got here at half ten, early as always but I just couldn't wait to get back, ya know? I never appreciate magic so much as when I can't use it and you can never be too sure of Muggle transportation; I did not want to be late," she finished matter-of-factly. The two Muggle-born witches shared a second knowing look. Mary was a beautiful witch though she did not seem to know this or care. Her hair was raven black, her fringe just topped her eye brows while the rest stopped just at the nape of her elegant neck and curved under ever so slightly. She had blue-green eyes that varied within that color range depending on her mood. She was of average height but that was the only aspect of her appearance that could be considered average. Her face had fine bone structure, her lips were full and her skin, like porcelain. She had slim curves in all the right places and a gentle, almost quiet laugh.

These were Lily's best friends and she loved them. "Oh, I've missed you!" Lily shouted. "There were times this summer when I thought that today would never get here!" Lily had the most eye-catching appearance of this group and sometimes it rankled her. People, magic and Muggle alike often stared at Lily. Lily was stunning ... a rare and true ginger. She had full, straight auburn hair that fell to the middle of her back; it was a highly polished copper now because of the summer sun but would darken ever so slightly with the change of season, taking on a burnished coppery color. Her eye lashes and brows were an exact match to her hair and they looked like they were made of sunlight when viewed from the side. Lily's eyes were almond shaped and amazingly green. Her complexion was typical ginger; light with freckles everywhere. She had a small, lean build, long, slender legs and delicate little hands. Lily's friends often told her she was beautiful but Lily did not agree; she was ... well ... red and spotty and small. Lily was also known for being last to notice what was obvious to most. She never noticed her own beauty, nor its effect on those to look upon her.

"Hello Ladies!" Sirius Black had arrived. First, he looked them up, slowly ... allowing his grey eyes which were their cool shade just now, to take in the sight of them and of course, allow them to do the same. Then, he looked them down, his long black hair falling carelessly around his face, he looked at each girl in turn. Then, his mouth softly changed into that famous Sirius grin that broke witch's hearts. He was, of course, leaning back ever so slightly for maximum viewing pleasure and to affect casual confidence. "I see that summer has been good to our Gryffindor Girls," he finished with a wink.

Turning in unison the girls came face to face with Sirius Black. He was a singularly beautiful wizard; possibly the most beautiful wizard they had ever clapped eyes on. A mere description of his features would never do the whole package justice. He was a sixth year Gryffindor but unique among the Gryffindors; he was expected to be sorted into Slytherin House like all the pure-blood Blacks before him but his sorting made him the first and only Gryffindor Black. The girls took in his appearance slowly, to allow time to appreciate the vision that was Sirius Black. His grey eyes were well known to change with his mood; from dark and stormy to lighter and lyrical, without warning. His eye lashes were as black as his hair and curved just enough. His handsome face had a strong jaw that looked like it could do with a shave but he didn't look scruffy. He was just shy of six feet tall with lean muscles, narrow hips and broadening shoulders and long legs. His skin was tan from the summer sun and though he was a pure-blood wizard, he preferred to dress like a Muggle, always: jeans, white t-shirt, red trainers, no socks and the occasional leather jacket. It was rare to find any witch, let alone five, who could appreciate Sirius Black slowly. Most females, magic and Muggle alike failed to keep even a trace of their composure in this wizard's presence. But at least four of these five knew Sirius Black well and were not over-dazzled.

"Hello Sirius," they replied.

"Are you actually on your own Sirius?" Lily questioned hoping the question came off as casual teasing. "Where are the rest of your Marauders?" Lily looked behind Sirius. Sirius smirked. Lily really was most likely to miss the obvious. Everyone knew she was secretly searching for James, except James; he of course. He knew no such thing. Then, from out of the steam of the Hogwarts Express, James Potter, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigres appeared to appear at Sirius's side, all smiling widely and opening their arms in greeting.

"Knew we'd find you where the witches are Pads!" James teased.

"Where else would I be Prongs?" Sirius replied.

"Well, at least he's easy to find," added Pete with a laugh.

"Morning all! Fine day for an adventure!" Remus said as he bit the head off a chocolate frog.

"Hello Lily," James spoke first directly to Lily. He noticed Lily's color rise up her neck from her chest all the way to her ginger hair. He'd expected this thought he didn't know exactly why except she was probably embarrassed for several reasons the least of which had to be that she feared that he was going to ask her out...again. James apologized last year for adding fuel to that fire, so to speak, during the now infamous Mud-blood Row, which just happened to occur in front of half the school and right in the middle of O.W.L.'s! Well this year would be different, he was determined and tried to make it apparent by the use of her first name. They'd always called each other by their surnames. For five years it was 'Evans!' and 'Potter!' usually followed by a row. But James had had enough of her refusals; he knew he'd behaved like an idiot whenever Lily was around but no more! He was a new man this year and he would prove it to her right from the off. He'd gained the captaincy and as Quidditch Captain for Gryffindor house he felt the need to grow so, with evident effort he tore his sweet, hazel eyes from Lily's lovely face, shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his trousers and shared his smile with the rest of the witches. "How are we all on this fine September morning?"

Recovering from her momentary blush, (surely it had gone unnoticed), Lily looked into James's face first. He called her Lily! She lingered there almost against her will trying to take it in, this new development; he'd never called her Lily! Then she deliberately looked at each of the rest of the Marauders in turn. She was determined to be open minded about these four wizards and to keep her cool in James's presence. The whole situation (coming off the back of last year's blow-out Mudblood Row) seemed to require that Lily behave like a Gryffindor! Or as the Muggle saying goes, 'fake it 'till you make it'. So ... in that moment, Lily, seized with courage, adopted an attitude arrogance. Her Sirius impression began. First, she smiled lazily, leaned back a bit, arms crossed, just barely tilted her head in the attitude of study, opened her mouth ever so slightly, winked her left eye at the boys and finished her greeting by opening arms, mimicking the Marauder's initial bravado. She did all this without saying a word. The Marauders, nonplussed by this remarkable imitation of Sirius rewarded Lily with an appreciative applause; Sirius applauding the loudest. _So, Sirius Black was actually self-aware_ _._ All the tension that might have been present during this potentially awkward reunion evaporated on the spot. Well, perhaps James and Lily remained a bit tense but they made a good show of trying not be so.

The Hogwarts Express steam whistle called their attention and the nine Gryffindors hastened to board the train. They made their way with some difficulty to the last compartment on the train. This was the Marauder's very own by universal consensus or by force if need be. There was much shuffling and groaning as they stowed their trunks to make room for all nine of them, Lily included for the very first time. At first it felt crowded but as if by an Undetectable Extension Charm, they all fitted comfortably together. The compartment would soon need room for only seven of them (perhaps it would shrink a bit) as Remus and Lily were the Gryffindor House prefects and would be needed in the prefect's carriage soon enough.

Frank Longbottom filled the doorway just as everyone completely settled in and gave Alice a special smile then addressed the Gryffindor prefects. "Well, are you ready to 'follow my lead'?" Frank was their new Head Boy and just had to make himself chuckle a bit. He felt a wee nervous, truth be told and laughter helped take the edge off. Alice returned Frank's smile and took him into an appreciative view. He looked quite dashing in his Gryffindor robes with his Head Boy Badge just evident under his collar.

"Yes, of course, we have a meeting to attend," Lily replied as she rose to find her robe and prefect badge. A kerfuffle ensued, as she'd uncharacteristically, left them in her trunk: proximity to James always confunded her. This required the near geometrically perfect arrangement of trunks to be un-arranged and then rearranged, everyone disagreeing on the most efficient way to accommodate Lily's needs. Eventually, she donned her robe proudly, right over her Muggle attire and pinned her badge securely to the upper left corner while Remus waited patiently. Remus was always ready. To this day no one seemed to know how Remus accomplished this but they accepted it as just one of the mysteries of Remus Lupin. Carefully, she tucked a lock of her ginger hair behind her ear, checked for her wand and looked at Remus, her green eyes bright with excitement.

"If you see him, give Snivellus our love," Sirius added just as they were leaving. James looked uncomfortable hearing this and Pete laughed awkwardly, Frank threatened to take five points from Gryffindor for Sirius's cheek and Remus regarded Sirius with a look of unmistakable reproach. Sirius simply shrugged as the three left the compartment. Lily noticed all of this but appeared to take no notice at all.

Frank went ahead of the two prefects in search of the new Head Girl and found her three doors down. She seemed to be stalling for time fidgeting with her new robe: Hogwarts black of course but detailed around the collar, sleeves and bottom in Ravenclaw colors of blue and bronze embroidery. It was a lovely robe but she stopped when she saw Frank. Then Emmeline Vance shook off her own nervous behavior, knowing that she would enter the prefect's carriage with her friend Frank so ... no worries.

As Lily and Remus made their way along the length of the entire train, they had some time alone. Remus slowed and turned around and walking confidently backwards, faced Lily.

"So, have you seen him yet, are you ready to ... you know ... face him, Snape, I mean, in case he's wandering the corridors?" He whispered urgently. He just had to ask. They had yet to discuss The Mudblood Incident in person. They'd written to each other all summer and it had been discussed sort of ... but today Remus needed to know that Lily was OK, see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice. The Marauders agreed amongst themselves to never mention it again in Lily's presence, that is if she ever actually became a presence in their group lives, unless she brought it up first, but in this case, he just had to know. He wasn't talking about her, he was talking with her and as her friend, he had that prerogative. Sirius, on the other hand, did not. Remus made a mental note to remind Sirius of this Marauder agreement as soon as possible.

"Well, I've faced The Marauders so how bad could it be?" Lily replied. "No, I haven't seen him yet and yes, I am ready when I do. Remus, you know our relationship was strained well before he called me a Mudblood. Mary telling me things like, "Poisonous toad-stools don't change their spots." Dor shouting, "He's a Slytherin Lily, believe me, it matters!" Mars stating her views as gently as she could, "I'm sorry Lily but he's creepy! He never deserved you!" Then there was Alice's matter of fact summary, "I don't know how you could have ever been his friend Lily!"

Lily took a steadying breath. "Remus, after what his mate Mulcibur did to Mary well ... I knew then our, _friendship_ was never going to last. How could anyone be friends with someone who's mates with Mulcibur, I ask you? The Mudblood Row was nothing more than the final nail in that coffin. I'd always worried that everyone was right about him and so they were. Truth be told, it made me feel like a fool, The Row. I thought as his friend, that I could bring him around or enlighten him ... somehow, ya know … save him. And I accuse James of being arrogant! A Gryffindor Muggle-born and a Slytherin half-blood being friends? It wasn't possible in the current climate. Besides, I wasn't all that good a friend to him anyway; ours was a friendship of convenience on both sides, I think and it was never going to last, you know what I mean?

"No, not really. It never seemed very convenient to me Lily! Your friendship with Snape kept you nearly isolated from your own house and the rest of the school for five years! It colored your view of my three best mates and I think that it left you, lonely." Remus had a way of stating uncomfortable truths and while it unnerved her she couldn't deny it.

"I used him, Remus. I did care about him but I used him all the same and while no one deserves to be called a Mudblood I think he knew I was using him."

"Used him for what Lily? What use could he possibly have been to you?" Remus asked in a frustrated and confused voice.

For all his insight, Remus apparently didn't know and that suited Lily just fine. After all, he needn't know everything. Lily was not ready to talk about that now, not even with Remus. Remus was brave and able to voice some uncomfortable truths but Lily was not prepared to be that forthcoming. At least not yet. She still had to sit with The Marauders for the whole day. That was enough to be going on with.

It was uncanny that at that very moment, they passed a compartment full of Slytherin sixth years. Who sat right next to the door? Who sat closest to the corridor clearly visible through the doors' glass; Severus Snape. He sat as he usually did, with his head in a book, his hair a constant curtain for his face, just hung there. He was probably reading something Dark. As Lily and Remus passed, he did not look up or give any outward sign that he had noticed Lily walk by but Lily sensed he knew and like her chose to ignore it, for now. Lily, her head held high, shoulders back kept right on walking, following her friend, a still backward-walking Remus to the prefect's compartment located right behind the engine. They arrived without incident and Lily was glad of it. Remus, ever the gentleman, opened the door with his palm wide then, bowed Lily in. They greeted the other prefects who arrived before them, took a seat toward the back and began in earnest to discuss their summer.

"How was your summer Remus, really?" Lily had to know how Remus had coped with the full moon when at home. She also desperately wanted to steer this conversation away from her having used Sev because she'd said too much, too soon as she usually did with Remus. Remus would take note of what she'd said and he might be patient but he was not likely to let it go; he'd resolve to try and have the rest of this conversation with her eventually or ferret out the truth for himself. Neither suited Lily; not just yet anyway. He was a great wizard and Lily had always been very fond of Remus. He alone of The Marauders never made her feel uncomfortable and today he would be her bridge to the other side. He knew this as it had been at his suggestion.

She looked at him now with gratitude and she felt deep pity for his circumstances (she hoped he'd not noticed the pity she felt). He always looked a bit peaky. His robes were well worn and slightly faded. Remus had extremely perceptive eyes and they searched hers now giving her a slightly sad, resigned smile. Perhaps he had seen her pity but he would also know she pitied his circumstances, not Remus himself. He always seemed to Lily like an old soul in a youngish body. Lily knew of Remus's suffering, his terrible transformations and his unparalleled courage to make of his life what he could, regardless of his circumstances. His constant friendship and advice inspired her to new bravery today. After all, if he could live with his Lycanthropy and make so much of his life, what could Lily have to complain about? Let alone to fear.

"My summer was mostly, uneventful. Yours?"

Remus was deflecting, biding his time, so maybe not as uneventful as he hoped to suggest. She'd permit him this stalling tactic. We all needed time to face our own truths. So, she started the conversation with her summer.

"The same, mostly. I always miss Hogwarts so much during the summer and of course there is The Petunia Problem."

"Did you row all the time or pretend she wasn't there?"

"Well, she's dating now; some overbearing Muggle named Vernon Dursley so she spent a lot of time, mercifully, elsewhere." This made Remus laugh. Lily exhaled with a wicked little grin on her lips and then continued. "I got some much-needed time alone with my parents and had a chance to talk with them about some of fifth year, its ups and downs you know? We didn't discuss the Mudblood Incident and if I can help it, we never will. I managed to lie my way around the reasons for my split with Snape and they were relieved that we had a parting of the ways." Lily nodded with her chin toward the far side of the carriage, where the door was located to indicate Snape. "They never liked him much, thought he was a bit dodgy and they, were of course, correct as was everyone else. But never mind that, how was your furry little problem," she whispered, "without the Shrieking Shack?" It was his turn and she wouldn't be put off. He had a witch friend in her and females could perceive of difficulties in ways that no pack of blokes, best mates or not, could. All wizards should have a witch friend.

"Not too bad, my parents have a safe room of sorts for me so, now don't overreact Lily …I could only bite myself." Remus looked away from Lily as if that had come out all wrong, self-pitying but Lily knew he hadn't meant it to solicit such. Sometimes, just as Lily could slip and say too much to Remus, he could do the same; say too much to Lily. Thus, was the nature of real friends who trusted one another.

Lily paled a bit and took Remus by the shoulders and squared him to face her. "Only yourself? That's barbaric! Oh, Remus," she whispered, "what a horrible time you must have had! Someday someone will invent a potion or a spell that will make the full moon less fearsome, I am sure of it! Maybe it will be me and I'll invent a Potion." Lily finished, her green eyes over-bright, her face full of determination. "Still, its better than turning someone, eh?"

"Funny Lily. Sometimes you can be quite funny." Remus smile morphed slowly from irritation to hilarity. Gradually it became a genuine smile. He loved her for her attempt to make light of his crap monthly sufferings which in reality, could turn tragic in an instant. He also loved her for her willingness to remain his devoted champion. Lily was the only person he knew of to have figured out that he was in fact, a werewolf, except of course for James, Sirius and Pete and then pluck the courage to confront him about it. He really didn't mind her knowing. She'd never told a soul. He was afraid at first, naturally. It was his darkest secret. Afraid that their friendship would change, afraid that she would discover his many other secrets specifically, his three illegal Animagus friends; Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs. It seemed, thankfully, she had not discovered his other secrets yet, but she had a steep learning curve. Mostly he was afraid that she would pity him. He knew she did pity him but her pity felt different somehow, as though he suffered from some dreadful injustice and she was right. But she'd never treated him differently since and he was thankful for it. It seemed that Lily was as loyal as James, Sirius and Pete. He felt foolish arguing against his own friendship with Lily, on a matter of principle of all things, especially when Lily embarked on an impassioned defense of Remus. She told him, "You're the victim Remus! I know the real you! We all know the real you!" Then, there was his favorite, "No one with any sense could possibly hold it against you!"

That last statement wasn't even debatable; Remus knew that most people would indeed hold it against him. Werewolves were known to be vicious and blood thirsty by historical documentation and who could prove them wrong except an out-of-the-closet werewolf? Nevertheless, his fear evaporated, their friendship only strengthened and they were better for it. Just as they were about to discuss their O.W.L results, the compartment door opened and Emmeline Vance entered followed by a smiling Frank Longbottom; their newly appointed Head Girl and Boy. All the prefects rose silently from their seats in recognition of their new leaders and waited for the Heads to be seated before taking a seat themselves.

The meeting passed in no time, as the Heads acquainted the new prefects with their duties and instructed them on how to find prefect office, to submit House point deductions and detentions. Many if not most of the prefects had never been in trouble; that was why they were made prefects after all, and they had no idea where the prefect office was until they were told. The Heads reviewed the point deduction system and introduced a new method for keeping records: Purple Prefect Pads. All prefects would be assigned their own year's supply. They implored their charges to document everything on their PPP's. They were a new addition to prefect duties and had been Emmeline's idea. It seemed a good one as a history of rule-breaking could be spotted, patterns could be monitored and thereby, help the prefects and their supervisory Heads with communication, punishments for repeated or increasingly misdeeds. There were certain consequences for every misdeed and these were not up for discussion. They were automatic. The worst offenses resulted in time spent with Filch so, definitely a deterrent. The older prefects would just have to learn to use them and for the initiates it would be a matter of habit, back them up when contested by the perpetrator and help spot trends and repeated offenders. They were funny really but it was hoped they'd prove useful. Lily loved them!

Neither Remus nor Lily were scheduled for castle rounds tonight and they were glad if not a bit suspicious that Frank was showing favoritism. But, he was Head Boy and it was his prerogative. Lily and Remus had no desire to question his judgement. Frank supplied them with the first password for the year ... _cuttlefish_... and they visited for a while. Frank would become an Auror, a Dark Wizard Catcher and he regaled them for a while on the excitement he felt preparing this year for his N.E.W.T.'s which were one of the standards by which the Auror Office measured, their new recruits. Frank was a cert! It's what Frank had been working for his whole life; to be an Auror. They were in the middle of a Wizard War after all and Aurors were in high demand. After an amiable chat about their summer holidays and his appointment as Head Boy, all three of them trooped back down the corridor to the end of the train and Marauders exclusive compartment.

So, Lily, with the support of Remus and her four favorite witches, joined the Marauders and Frank (the compartment surely had an undetectable extension charm on it) for the day-long train ride to Hogwarts. The Marauders bragged shamelessly about their best pranks and made fun of their worst. Their best pranks had the best planning so they shared some of details of their planning sessions with the witches. They threw around for new pranks, about which the witches had some ideas of their own to contribute. Even Frank and Lily contributed ideas to this year's new pranks (perhaps Frank had done this before; offered up ideas for Marauder pranks). But they made it clear that they would take house points if the Marauders got caught. Remus however, refused to commit to this. Apparently, he was a Marauder first. He stated matter-of-factly that they just wouldn't get caught.

When it came to planning pranks the Marauders apparently, had a system. Pete, due to his winning record in chess was officially dubbed, the strategist, of the group. He drew the diagrams and flow-charts, Remus suggested, researched and often instructed on all the new spells and charms they would need, Sirius played devil's advocate searching for every possible pitfall and James led. He was their natural leader so he chivied, teased, cajoled, bossed, bribed, begged and sometimes even threatened the very best out of them. They held the undisputed record for both the best and the most pranks since the Prewett Twins reigned supreme with just the one exception, of course … Peeves (the undisputed master of misery).

The Marauders were infamous, therefore, they had to have secret methods but that only added to their mystique so, no one ever asked. They played exploding snap until the air was so thick with smoke that when _Evanesco_ failed, they were forced to open all the windows and abandon the compartment for a time. They made flying paper notices as a welcome back greeting to all the people they knew in other compartments; it was more fun than just walking to every compartment on the train; added a bit of intrigue. They placed bets as to which recipients would know who the senders were and whether the recipients would send their own responses. Most recipients responded because they all knew it was the Marauders!

James showed everyone the photographs he had taken that summer. James baking in the kitchen with his mum, supervised by a stern looking house elf who reminded Lily of their Transfiguration professor. Sirius dueling with and losing to his James's dad. The new kneazle kittens that were born in July who were entertaining what looked to be young house elves. Another house elf, James called him Wik, flying on what was apparently James's very first broom. James's mum bravely tending to her Venomous Tentacula in her greenhouse while Remus struggled with re-potting a Mandrake. James's dad brewing potions in his own private laboratory which made Lily feel quite jealous! James playing a grand piano while Sirius and Mars made fun of him from behind. That was interesting, was James musical? Remus researching in the library. Sirius and Pete playing a game of wizard chess that Pete invariably won. A dinner party for family friends with ballroom dancing in formal wear! James ballroom dancing? Three aside Quidditch with James, Remus and Mars on one team and Sirius, Dor and Pete on the other. Remus and Pete on brooms, who knew?

Just to prove that James took his baking lessons seriously, he shared his homemade pastries and one became everyone's newest favorite, homemade caramel. This was photographic evidence of James Potter's life. Remus had been right. She didn't know him at all. James's photos betrayed his wealth. The Potter library was vast and he had grounds and drawing rooms and greenhouses, entry ways and an elegant, marble stair case that was evidently supported by magic, a private potions laboratory and more than one house-elf! Lily felt stupid now. She'd never made the connection between James and his father, the famous Potioneer and creator of, Fleamont Potter's Sleekeazy's Hair Potion. His father was practically a household name; she'd even seen a bottle of it in their dorm! Witches swore by it.

Pete sent all of them letters from all over Europe; he traveled every summer with his family and he sent them the strangest things, sand from a beach in the south of France, minerals specimens from the rocky Alps, colored beads from Italy and owl feathers from each location that he visited. He also drew the loveliest drawings of foreign architecture, exotic people, vast green landscapes and stormy seascapes. Pete had real talent for capturing the feel of a place or the beauty of a foreign witch. It seemed like this was an annual thing; seeing Pete's perception of the places he had traveled. He refused to use a camera or to work from a picture, even a magical one. He'd always seemed an unlikely show-off to Lily unless it was something to do with his Marauders. This evidently sensitive Pete seemed a contradiction to the Peter Pettigrew Lily had observed for five years. Maybe there was more to him than Lily's biased opinion had allowed. She'd have to wait and see.

Pete was a full head shorter than the rest of the Marauders, he had strawberry blond hair and light blue eyes. He stockier than his three taller friends and by comparison he looked, a bit round, especially in school robes. He was not fat, exactly but he was stocky, like a rugby player but he was known for loving long naps and snacking, so they teased him about it. He never seemed to mind much, often making light of their jibes. In fact, he'd always appeared to love this attention, albeit negative. Perhaps there was no more truth in it than there was truth in Sirius's perceived man-whore persona, or in Remus's being strictly bookish or in James's … well ... James was not teased by his fellow Marauders about much of anything really except for his love-for-Lily-Evans. Yeah, they did tease him mercilessly about Lily.

Remus, as official researcher of the group, served as the intellectual who used summertime to learn new magic just for pleasure. He spent many long and joyful hours in every library he could find, including James's. Remus put this research to use every year not only in class but also in the execution of their pranks. Apparently, he was known for being able to enchant Pete's drawings so that they would move and today he demonstrated this magic for the group. He also could make James's photographs stop moving which he also demonstrated, stopping the motion at ludicrous times. Remus was not quieter than James or Sirius but he did seem to take more time to consider his words and compose their delivery. Remus was the tallest Marauder but he was also the thinnest. He was lithe and sinewy and extremely strong in spite of his general living-rough appearance. His perceptive eyes could look almost feral one minute and absolutely warm the next. Remus was slow to anger but furious once angered and slow to cool back down. You really did not want to anger this Marauder. But he was also terribly kind, and patient and sympathetic.

And then there was James. Of the four Marauders, Lily thought James was ... well, James was yummy. He was tall and lean and looked like he had a lot more growing left in him. His expressive, hazel eyes hid nothing behind his square black glasses and those eyes always seemed to be looking at her, at least whenever she was looking at him. He was the only wizard to ever, actually turn Lily's head. He always smelled warm and clean like a summer day in a grassy field and Lily found herself inexplicably drawn to him from the first moment she was in his presence. Unconsciously, Lily began hunting down the source of these scents: the essence of James. In first year, it was unconscious but by second year, it became opportunistic and occasional, for instance, when they were in Potions but by, third year it had become her private obsession. The likelihood of finding his intoxicating scent in a Muggle shop was nil, yet, Lily hunted all the same, every summer. Shampoos, laundry soap, sunscreen, toothpaste, garden shops and used furniture stores. At school, she regularly searched the Potions stores, secretly hunting for the essence of James Potter and never finding it.

But here, in his presence, it found her, it filled her brain and, she had to make the effort, though it was difficult to pay attention to the flow of conversation. His scent alone, was enough to unsettle Lily, it always had been. Today, however, she couldn't yell at him and storm off in a huff. She couldn't escape it. She'd promised Remus this year to have an open mind. Remus didn't seem to know what opening her mind to James Potter could mean to Lily but she wasn't going to worry about that now, nor would she go back on her word to Remus. Nor to her commitment to herself. She absolutely had to know.

There was much to privately appreciate about James Potter if she could just maintain her composure and appear to be listening. He had full, red lips that looked like he spent most of his time snogging. He licked them a lot too, so they were always either moist or slightly chapped. James gesticulated animatedly when he spoke and always gave people his full attention when he listened to them. James actually listened to people, a detail she'd missed but now she had no idea how it had escaped her. His whole body turned toward the speaker, regardless of who was speaking and he leaned in, demonstrating his genuine interest in what they had to say. James had mad black hair that stuck up everywhere and Lily always wanted to touch it, grab hold of it really but he always beat her to it. It regularly took a thrashing from its owner as though it was a curse. Lily wondered now if James's ridiculously messy hair was the result of nerves alone or some sort of a potions accident in the family laboratory or maybe he had gotten into some of his dad's famous hair potion at a too-young and hair-vulnerable age. Then there were his hands. His hands were perfect and Lily loved looking at them.

She was certain she was coloring now but his presence so near to her was extremely desirable. Lily, surrounded by his intoxicating scent and he was so near to her in the close quarters of the compartment that Lily was pulled into a dazed state of blissful, oblivion. As far as she was concerned he was the only person in the room and his was the only scent she could identify. Today, right now, he was literally, quite inescapable. It all served to drag her back to the first time she laid eyed on James Potter. She longed for the memory to rise. Throwing caution to the winds she lost her head and let the memory rise to surface.

She experienced her first physical response to a boy the first time she was near James. She was eleven and he was beautiful! Then he opened his mouth and was rude to Sev so she became instantly confused and began to doubt. It didn't matter that Sev was rude first. Sev wasn't beautiful and he certainly he didn't arouse in her these feelings. How could someone who was so beautiful as James Potter be so rude to someone he'd only just met?

Thus, her confusion began as well as her secret. In spite of his rudeness she found James Potter utterly appealing in an eleven-year-old sort of way. She was blushing right now at the mere memory of the first time they'd met. This blushing was not a recent development but in previous years when she became completely unglued, she'd had an out, an escape. She yelled at him. She yelled about him. She'd manufactured reasons to storm off so as to gain some distance and keep this blushing private. She'd never said one good thing about him, even to his friends who just so happened to also be her friends. She called him names and accused him of being a bully. James continued to confund her all of first year and she decided in second year to just avoid James altogether. As long as she was friends with Sev, she was unlikely to be around James as James and Severus openly despised one another.

But, she refused to permit Sev to intrude on her thoughts today. There might be time later but not today. She was writing a new script for her life and she shoved memories of hiding behind Severus Snape out of her mind. In spite of her somewhat hysterically inexplicable behavior then, James remained undaunted and that was worth remembering. He created opportunities to encounter Lily and he too behaved absurdly. It was funny now to remember his ridiculous outbursts. Every single time he was near her he'd yell for everyone to hear, _"Alright Evans! Go on! Go out with me!"_ Had she not been so embarrassed and confused, she'd have been delighted by his adolescent attempts to get her attention. She couldn't think of a witch at Hogwarts who wouldn't have loved to be the center of James Potter's attention. He was quite ridiculous and an arse but Lily couldn't handle it and would always run away.

However, one memory from fifth year was sweet and she dwelled on it now. When everything blew apart that wretched afternoon during O.W.L.'s, Lily realized three things she'd tried to deny for years. Sev fancied her. He was also ashamed of her, just exactly like her friends had said all along. And … she fancied James Potter. In a fit of anguished whinging about Potter and his mates, Sev blabbed. All Lily heard were those six little words, "He fancies you! Potter fancies you!" Then, right in front of Sev, she blushed, full on from her chest to the top of her head. That was the moment when she believed Sev finally realized the truth. Lily never had romantic feelings for him nor would she. She fancied James Potter. It was for this reason, that he called her a Mudblood. He was hurt and angry. He wanted to hurt her in return and so he said the unforgivable word; Mudblood. It solved one problem but as with all mixed blessings, it created others.

Since the Mudblood Incident, James had stopped asking her out in his totally maladroit way and even apologized for having done so, so often, in the past. This apology enabled them to come to a polite detente in the ever persistent, years long battle between "Potter!" and "All right Evans?" But it also forced Lily to examine the feelings James awoke in her when she was just the tender age of eleven. The feelings had only grown stronger with each passing year. This September first was the first time she approached their confusing relationship without weapon or shield. She understood now as a young woman what these sensations were. She understood what this feeling meant and this year she was determined to face it.

She was no longer a child. She would have to do something about James Potter. She started to consider his redeeming qualities which she had been tallying until old memories resurfaced. She abruptly realized that Remus was quite right, she didn't actually know James Potter. What were his qualities apart from his attractiveness? Why did James have so many loyal and devoted friends? Why did everyone Lily cared about also care about James? Why did they always defend James? What was it about James that inspired such trust and loyalty? What was it that she had not seen while she was so desperately trying to not look? This year Lily decided, with encouragement from Remus, to discover the real James Potter and today was the first step; a day long train ride in his company.

Lily was startled out of her revere by the return of food trolley making its third visit to the Marauder's compartment. These magical confections were novel and certainly entertaining but they really didn't measure up after James's pastries and caramel. The trolley witch, was always friendly though so Lily made a purchase. James looked hurt and insulted.

"They aren't for us James, they're for the first years," she said handing him the sweets. "Put them on the table in front of the fireplace, in the common room, for when they first arrive, will you?"

Then she and Remus left the compartment for their last patrol. They'd patrolled the train four times so far without incident which should have been their first warning. No trip on the Hogwarts Express had ever gone without incident. Since they had the night off from patrolling the castle corridors they made sure they put in their fair share of time on the train and kept their eyes on the new fifth year prefects, helping when they could. In what seemed like almost no time the full darkness of the Scottish Highlands dominated outside the train making the windows an eerie, reflective black. Only an hour or so remained of their journey and Lily was getting excited.

The Gryffindor prefects returned from their last patrol just as the village of Hogsmeade appeared, first an occasional street lamp sparkling distantly, growing inevitably brighter the closer they got to the bustling village, their penultimate destination: The Village of Hogsmeade, home to Hogsmeade Station. The train was growing louder now with the sounds of restlessly excited students sliding doors and opening windows, raised voices could be heard, meant to carry to distant compartments. People could be seen dragging their trunks down from the overhead shelves frequently injuring either themselves or their friends in the process.

The Hogwarts Express at last, came to a full stop. Students spilled out of their compartments and filled the train's corridor. Hagrid, The Keeper of the Keys and Grounds was there to greet them all and escort the first years traditionally by boat, across the Black Lake to Hogwarts. They shouted him greetings and he responded, "All right there, Marauders?" There was no view of Hogwarts from Hogsmeade Station and that seemed purposeful so as to make its first sighting from the little magical boats all the more awe inspiring. It was a memory no student ever forgot.

The horseless carriages awaited them as they disembarked the Hogwarts Express with shouts of gratitude to the engineer, eager for the final leg of their day-long journey. With the witches now in one horseless carriage and the wizards in another they finished their summer migration. These magical carriages safely escorted them up the winding little road in total darkness. The road led to only one destination: Hogwarts Castle.

The ancient magical structure was seated on high and rugged cliffs. The castle was enormous and its secret location atop the cliffs of the Scottish Highlands afforded its inhabitants, a commanding view of the whole of the magical campus: The Forbidden Forest, the Black Lake, the Quidditch Pitch, the Greenhouses, the Owlery and Hagrid's Cabin. As they approached the winged boars, the gates opened of their own accord and the magical wards allowed them to pass then re-sealed behind them as the gates closed. The castle windows glowed with golden candle light and they could see the front stone staircase rise toward the entryway. Lily felt sure that she spotted Peeves the Poltergeist hovering just above the front doors. It was time for feasting and The Sorting. It was finally time for Lily to officially be home once more.


	2. Chapter Two The Welcoming Feast

**Chapter Two: The Welcoming Feast**

The sixth year Gryffindors entered The Great Hall together and for the first time Lily was among the them. What a sight it was, The Great Hall! The four long house tables, very highly polished, shone brightly beneath hundreds of floating candles. The torches, spaced evenly around the perimeter of the beautiful room, lit themselves as the students entered. The golden flatware, goblets and cutlery added their own sparkle, all currently empty, seemed to be waiting for the magic words before filling with the delicious delights the house elves had been creating since dawn. The Enchanted Ceiling showed a clear, dark sky freckled with starlight.

Waiting to greet them, Albus Dumbledore sat up a bit straighter, extending his view. His students were entering The Great Hall. He was a sight worthy of his own portrait in the chocolate frog collection. Tonight, he wore deep cherry robes of velvet, detailed with delicate embroidery of gold thread, tracing the likeness of a Phoenix. His elbows were on the table, his steepled hands were placed beneath just touched his chin, his long white hair and beard flowed down his back and over his shoulders. His clever, mischievous, light blue eyes looked out over his half-moon spectacles and his whole face was smiling. You couldn't help but trust Albus Dumbledore. Considered the greatest wizard of the age, Dumbledore exemplified immense magical power in an unassuming manner. He spoke softly, laughed often, never gave advice and was known to be wise.

The rest of the staff was present and seated at High Table including an unknown, presumably their new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Professor McGonagall the Head of Gryffindor house was currently absent but she was quite busy tending to the first years. Eventually, all the students were seated and the doors to the Great Hall closed of their own accord. The House Tables; Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin were crammed with chattering students, from end to nearly end, save for a bit of space at the very front of each. This space traditionally was reserved for the first years, they were smallest after all and soon would be sorted into one of these four Houses.

Mr. Filch, the shabby looking, middle-aged and disgruntled caretaker brought to the front of the hall a three-legged stool in one hand and the famous Hogwarts Sorting Hat in the other. He took his time, obviously relishing his yearly moment in the spot light. He ceremoniously placed the stool on the floor between the House and High Tables and then placed the Sorting Hat on the stool. Then he walked, slowly to the back of the hall by way of the perimeter. A tiny, tabby kitten rode his shoulder gracefully throughout the entire procedure and received a thunderous applause from the Marauders who were joined by the Headmaster followed by, the entire hall. Filch almost smiled, evidently thinking the applause was for him, but this tiny tabby, later to be known as Miss Norris was his kitten after all.

Quiet eventually returned to the hall and after a few moments the oak doors to the Great Hall re-opened to admit the new arrivals. Professor McGonagall led the first years to the front of the hall by way of the center aisle. The first years were very quiet, quite small and looked extremely nervous. Professor McGonagall stopped at the front of the hall, turned to face the student body and the tiny first years who, if it were possible, seemed to shrink under the stern look she gave them. Then, with characteristic, understated flourish, she let the parchment of names unroll and looked down at it through square spectacles that were perched low in her straight nose. The yearly Sorting seemed to have begun...until...the Hat groaned loudly and pulled a face at the Head of Gryffindor House. Everyone in the great hall laughed at the Hat who dared to check Professor McGonagall. Every student knew that she was not a witch to be toyed with. With a glare for the Hat, she stepped aside to allow it, it's yearly moment of fame.

The Hat's song was not, as was hoped for, amusing. Rather, it was serious and promoted inter-house unity, ballyhooed the value of all magic and of the warned of dangerous divide growing within the magical community. As the Hat meant it to be, his song should have served as another warning. It was a wise and extremely old hat, dirty and patched and frayed but if commanded attention of the entire Hall. Its decisions were final and they these decisions played a crucial role in the outcome of student's lives. After making such a palaver everyone expected more from the Hat, something new or entertaining. After all, it had a whole year to compose its song. By the end of The Sorting, Gryffindor gained four new students, each of whom raced to their new House table to the roar of applause from their own. There was no hat-stall this year and it seemed that the sixth and seventh years were disappointed. The last hat-stall, five years ago, occurred when the Hat sorted Sirius Black into Gryffindor House, the only Black in living memory to not be sorted in to Slytherin House. Sirius took great pride in his sorting.

Dumbledore rose from his ornate chair and the hall hushed. "Welcome to Hogwarts, first year's! Welcome back everyone else! I have a few notices to give but not before you are all fed and watered. Let the Feast, Begin!"

These were the magic words, the magical que for which the house elves had been waiting. The tables audibly groaned as the golden serving platters filled with the house elves delicious creations. The peckish students sighed appreciatively while the first year's mouths formed an open O. The Marauders piled their plates full with nearly everything within reach from roast duck and new potatoes to sweet snow peas and baked broccoli.

"I thought I'd starve!" Dor hollered over the din as she savored her first bite.

"If there's one thing house elves do better than wizards, it's cook!" Pete added.

"Careful Pete! I cook!" James complained.

"Well maybe not quite like this Prongs. Give it time." Sirius added to keep James happy. "It's still early days."

"I feel like I haven't eaten proper food all summer!" Lily exclaimed.

"My mum tries but truthfully, we could do with a house elf," said Remus giving a pointed look at James.

"I'm actually quite comfortable in a kitchen." Frank added between mouthfuls.

"It's a good thing too because I'm rubbish!" Alice announced, laughing between her peas.

"I don't really like cooking. Eating yes but cooking, not so much. I suppose I've been spoiled here and everything I try just doesn't turn out." Mary stated thoughtfully.

"So, James the house elf in your baking picture, she looked very stern. Reminded me of McGonagall!" Lily said as she buttered her roll.

"You should be in her kitchen! She's a commander our Nila, and never completely satisfied with mine and mum's work. We are trying though and we're loads better at it than we were when we first started. I was scared she would refuse to teach us but Wik insisted that an agreement was an agreement."

"So, your house elf, Nila, she agreed to teach you and your mum to cook? I thought that house elves considered that their job."

"They do Lily but our house elves indulge us! They would never refuse a request from a Potter or Pads for that matter, no matter how foolish it was." James nodded Sirius's way as he said this and Sirius smiled that heartbreaking smile. "They make strange requests too. We agreed the summer after forth year that we would exchange our knowledge. Nila is teaching me and mum to cook in exchange for Wik learning to fly. It's most peculiar really but our elves always want to learn things they shouldn't. But, dad has forbidden them self-punishment so they are adjusting.

"Adjusting? Is that what you'd call it? They're gleeful! James spoils his house elves shamelessly Lily; he learned this from his parents. Well, they spoil me as well so I can't talk. Still, the Potter elves do things few have ever imagined let alone actually done. Then again there are an awful lot of them so they must, occasionally need diverting. Besides, it keeps Nila occupied in her kitchen; she's a bit of a nosey parker. Wik is the big cheese, Flite, is in charge of monitoring the staff and Nila runs the kitchen so she's obliged to teach Jaime and his mum to cook!" Sirius said all this through a wicked grin, watching James for a reaction.

"Sirius! Don't call me Jaime! You shouldn't criticize Nila, you know how sensitive she is!"

"Sensitive? _Jaime_ , she's not sensitive, she's scary that one! She be right at home in Grimmauld Place. Not that anyone is at home there." Sirius said all this with a mouthful of food and sprayed Dor when he started laughing.

"Eeeww Sirius! You eat like a beast!" Dor reached right over the table and punched Sirius in the shoulder.

"Don't call me Jaime, Sirius! Ya know, Tiby would make you wash your mouth out with soap, the Muggle way, if she saw you eating like that! Before you ask Lily, yes, she is another one of our house elves."

"How many house elves do you have James?" James ignored the question and started in on his hair.

"Jaime has hordes of house elves Lily!" Sirius chortled and the table of Gryffindor sixth years subconsciously nodded their agreement.

"We do not Pads and for the last time, stop calling me Jaime!"

"Fine! _James_. Still, you have to admit that even for the Potter's, it's a bit eccentric, having a horde of flying house elves!"

"They don't all fly Sirius! Just because you only have one left alive, if you'd call Kreacher alive!"

"Barely. He lives out of spite and love for Walburga!"

"Who's Kreacher?"

"Kreacher is Sirius's house elf, Lily." Mars stated matter-of-factly.

"He's not my elf!" Sirius retorted.

"So, your family have only one?" Lily inquired failing to hide her surprise.

"Yes, Lily but _they_ are not my family!" Lily saw the famous color change in Sirius's eyes to dark and stormy.

"Sorry. And how many does James have?" Lily asked for the second time.

"Seventeen. We have seventeen house elves Lily." James said looking embarrassed and Lily suddenly felt bad for pressing the issue but couldn't seem to stop talking.

"Seventeen! Wow! That's quite a horde you have there." Lily said while laughing and nearly sprayed Dor with food from the side, her hand already up, to deflect what bits might fly her way.

"Yes, yes very funny Lily. We do have a large family of elves but we have an equally large estate so it's not like they have nothing to do." James said defensively as he glared at their friends, challenging them to say one more word.

Remus did. "Mum could do with just one James." Remus said pointedly but James did his best to ignore him.

Behind his back, Sirius was moving his hands progressively further apart as if to indicate the burgeoning house elf population of Potter Manor. James elbowed him in the ribs and Sirius rubbed them vigorously. "That was uncalled for! And, it hurt!"

James smiled at Sirius's pain and asked, "How many little ones do we have now Pads? He likes the little ones best don't ya Pads?"

"You have six little bitty elves, five adolescents, two youngish adults and the rest are grown-ups. Shame on you Master Jaime! They're your elves not mine and still, I know who's who better than you do!"

"For the last time, stop calling me Jamie!"

Swerving out of the way of a new assault from James's elbows, Sirius carried on. "You know full well that Walburga would castrate her elves long before they reached a population of seventeen _James!_ She already decapitates them when they've outlived their usefulness and mounts their heads on the wall! Serves to keep the population down." Sirius looked disgusted at the thought.

"Keep the population down? Really? Who's going to reproduce with Kreacher, eh?" James said smugly.

Even Remus laughed at this. He'd been politely quiet with the exception of ribbing James about the need for just one house elf, realizing full-well that house elves are bound to their home and family. Lily could see why Remus was quiet. Once they got started, James and Sirius could really talk! Pete openly snickered, Mars looked torn between hilarity and sympathy. Alice and Dor regularly shook their heads in bemusement, Frank just listened and ate and Mary's mouth kept forming an open O of surprise.

James decided to put the matter to rest and he summed up the house elf situation at Potter Manor so there would be no need for further questions. "House elves reproduce quickly when they are happy, Lily. We have a disproportionate number of elves because they are very happy and they belong with us at Potter Manor; they're family! They would never leave and dad would never sack them. It took them years to get used to receiving new tea towels and cozies but dad just likes to keep them well dressed and reassures them frequently that they are not being sacked! They would, however, be delighted to give your mum a hand Remus, as long as they remained residents of Potter Manor." James addressed just Remus now and Remus nodded his appreciation. "My parent's, entertain loads Lily, they host parties and sponsor functions so our elves have a plenty do, more since Pads joined us! We have more than enough room and mum believes if any of them left, they'd die of a broken heart but not before she did; and Sirius. Flite lectures me often about keeping up! Having a large family because house elves by nature prefer large families. As I am the last Potter, I guess it's all up to me." James blushed furiously at this last statement which seemed to just slip out. He gave them all the evil eye once again, daring them to say one more word about this. Everyone tucked in to finish their meal.

Lily liked the idea of James and his mum taking instruction from a stern house elf. He seemed to truly care about his elves which was unusual for a wizard. Most wizards took no notice of them at all. This would count as an attribute in Lily's quest to discover the real James Potter.

"We've met a house elf. Remember Lily, during O.W.L.'s when we met Niki?" Mary recalled aloud.

"How could I forget Mary?" Lily's voice betrayed her annoyance at being reminded of O.W.L.'s. But, Lily knew that Mary had meant no harm so she tempered her temper. "She was a little life saver. She just appeared in our dorm late that night and brought us hot chocolate. Said she knew we needed it to get to sleep and had run out of ideas on how to bring it unnoticed. She visited us a few times after that and invited us to visit her in the kitchens any time. We never went since we don't know the way but I think we'd be welcome if we ever found them. Actually, that reminds me, why aren't we given a map of Hogwarts in first year? Just think how useful it would be! Even after five years there are still places in the castle I've never been. Besides, we got lost all the time in first year, remember?" Lily looked at her dorm mates while The Marauder's shared looks of terror. Fortunately, Lily did not seem to notice this and brushed the last crumbs from her area into her napkin.

"We know how to get to the kitchens Lily. You could come with us next time, if you and Mary would like." Pete suggested, suggestively.

"Thanks Pete!" Mary said enthusiastically and this caused Pete to smile almost shyly and he sat a little taller. Interesting because Pete never seemed particularly shy; he usually loved attention and now he apparently loved Mary's attention in particular.

"I suppose we're not invited!" Dor accused, pointing her fork at Pete while shouldering Mars who in turn shouldered Alice, who dropped her spoon. Pete began to splutter but was saved by Remus.

"Their chocolate has been a life saver!" Remus piped in and all heads turned to face him. "They are just like magic!"

"Just like magic? Really Remus? How very clever you are." Dor smirked his way but he just smiled right back and then, he winked at her.

The ghosts floated between and through the house tables as well as through a couple of first years, scaring the wits out of them. Peeves had yet to make his appearance which wasn't a good sign. The plates cleared not long after and deserts appeared next but after James's delicious pastries none of the witches seemed interested. The Marauders seemed to have boundless appetites and sampled several offerings while they passed the time visiting across the hall with friends from other houses and with their House ghost, Nearly Headless Nick who seemed quite relieved that Peeves had failed to make his unwelcome appearance thus far. Even the ghosts disliked Peeves but aside from his horrible persona, he wasn't actually a proper ghost so, who could blame them?

Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington was never referred to by his full name; it was a mouthful and failed to capture his spirit as far as Gryffindor House was concerned. He was always in the know; he would be, as he was, after all, a ghost. He usually had the goods on nearly everyone and everything that went on in the castle. He was a respected source of information for the Gryffindors as well as an ally, in spite of their pet name for him which he obviously detested. It was Nick's greatest disappointment; his poorly executed execution. His head failed to cleanly depart from his body, rather it clung to his neck by a tread of skin and sinew thus, he'd been referred to as Nearly Headless Nick for centuries. It really was a term of endearment though he'd never considered it as such. Nonetheless he hung around the Gryffindors and joined in on their gossip about everyone, thought, it was mostly good-natured. The Gryffindors were good friends with students from every house save, Slytherin. They theorized about the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher based on what they were able to observe from here; no one had lasted more than a year since they were first years. It was rumored that the position was cursed so it was amazing the students at Hogwarts had learned any defense at all!

Lily found herself looking toward the Slytherin house table just to see if anyone there seemed happy to be back. She spotted Snape and Regulus Black, Sirius's younger brother, sitting apart from their rest of their year at the end of the table nearest to the door. Sirius seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Lily and frowned when he found his little brother intently conversing with Snivellus! Regulus must have felt Sirius's eyes on him because Lily saw Reg slide out of Sirius's line of sight. Lily looked at Sirius's and he looked at her; his eyes stormy with anger and worry. As Sirius looked at her, she knew his thoughts were dark and reflected many of her own. They both had issues concerning this dubious alliance. Just before she felt she should look away, the plates magically cleared, the students quieted as Dumbledore rose from his chair; it was time to address his students.

"I trust that you are all sufficiently sophonsified and willing to listen for just a bit." said Dumbledore.

Lily heard Sirius whisper, "What does that even mean, sophonsified?" No one answered and either shrugged or shook their head. "Leave it to Dumbledore to use a word that no one even understands in his very first sentence."

"First-years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all students. A few of our older students would do well to remember this." Lily could have sworn that Dumbledore looked at the Marauders, just for a moment.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch to remind you that magic is not permitted between classes in the corridors." Everyone looked a bit guilty after that statement. "He has also asked that you all take time to examine the list of forbidden objects which he has kindly posted on the door of his office." The students stifled their sniggers. Filch didn't have a kind bone in his body.

"Quidditch trials will be held the second weekend of the term. Everyone who is interested in playing for their House should contact either their Head of House or their team Captain." James beamed and his post-feast posture straightened.

"Next to last I would like to welcome our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Will you all give a Hogwarts welcome to Professor Dedalus Diggle?" All the teachers applauded enthusiastically so the students followed their lead and gave Professor Diggle a warm welcome. Diggle had long light brown hair, keen light green eyes and wore robes of grey with sea-green embroidery. He seemed healthy so probably up to the job and the Marauders decided to reserve their judgement until they'd had class with him.

"And finally, I must speak seriously for a moment, about your safety and

well-being. As was pointed out by The Sorting Hat, these are dark times. The world beyond the castle's wards is growing darker by the day. For your own safety and the safety of your friends remain constantly vigilant, even while inside the castle as well as on the grounds. We have added new and innovative layers of protection over the summer however, the enemy is clever as well. Keep an eye out for anything that worries you or makes you suspicious. Tell your Head of House, the Head Boy or Girl or the prefects straight away if you feel threatened or fear for your safety, even if you cannot identify the source for that, is my job. I think that has covered it so off you trot!"

On que, the Marauders stood and climbed up on the bench seats before anyone else had even moved, slipped their wands from the sleeves of their robes and swished them in a complicated way, each different to the others as they were each responsible for their own unique aspect of the surprise. The Enchanted Ceiling suddenly rained colored falling stars! Some fell slowly down to hover over High Table, some arced across the room, some twinkled while others flashed. Exclusively green stars hovered over the Slytherin House table, blue over Ravenclaw, Yellow over Hufflepuff and crimson over Gryffindor. The usual abrupt departure stalled and even the Slytherins, who seemed to hate happiness, looked up at this colorful display, evidently pleased with the green stars hovering over their heads. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students nodded their approval of the The Marauders acknowledgement. A rainbow of color danced around High Table. It lasted for about a minute, everyone oohed and aahed in appreciation and then the celestial celebration vanished! It was beautiful magic and the Marauders looked to their Headmaster for his approval. Dumbledore nodded deeply to them, eyes twinkling!

And with that, the benches were shoved back by the force of hundreds of students who climbed over them to make their way out of the Great Hall. Lily and Remus weaved their way against the flow toward the first years who looked simultaneously excited and terrified.

"Fear not," chimed Remus to the frightened first years, he was practically skipping, "Lily and I will lead the way!" And he reached his hands out with his long arms and took the first years' hands. Lily thought in that moment that Remus would make a great dad someday. Then she proceeded to take up the rear, arms open and low in case one of them should...wander. They had miles of staircases and trick stairs and walls pretending to be doors to navigate to get to Gryffindor Tower. It was good to be back! When Remus, Lily and their giggling first years arrived at the portrait of the Fat Lady it felt like victory. The first years were tired from the climb and dizzy with so much to remember just to get here. The Fat Lady looked down at them and smiled.

"Password?"

All four of them whispered while giggling, " _cuttlefish",_ in unison. It was remarkable timing and unrehearsed. The Fat Lady finished with, "Welcome to the Gryffindor Common Room!" as she opened for them to enter. The four little ones tumbled over the portrait hole with smiles on their faces to be greeted by the occupants of the common room.

Mars rose from her place on the couch and came right over to greet them. She went down on her knees so she was at eye-level with the first years, smiled her electric smile, her plaited hair falling to and touching the floor and shook each of their little hands. "Hi, I'm Marlene and this is where you will be living! Isn't it great?! You should all come to Quidditch tryouts, weekend after this one, you'll really enjoy that. And, you must feel free to let anyone of us," indicating the Marauders and her dorm mates with a sweep of her arm, "if you get lost, or can't find your classroom, or even just need a hug; it can be a bit scary, first year, even for a Gryffindor!" All the first years nodded in agreement. Then she led them by the hand toward the fireplace.

It was a comfy room, with soft light from the candles and lanterns, warmed by a dancing fire that had been magicked by James to turn all the colors of the spectrum. The first years oooed and aawed appreciatively and James nodded to them in acknowledgement of his wand-work. There were squashy arm chairs all around the room, some were gathered around the fireplace and others were gathered around the mullioned windows, or at lantern-lit tables of varying sizes placed in corners and in alcoves. The table in front of the fire had treats of all sorts; Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, (these alone got mixed reviews and one of the first years avoided them completely), Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Licorice Wands, Pumpkin Pasties, Chocolate Frogs and Cauldron Cakes. Lily smiled at James and he nodded to her.

"Go on. Help yourselves." James encouraged and that was all it took. The first years sampled almost one of everything and jabbered happily.

"I don't remember buying that much." Lily said to James.

"It was a good idea Lily so I added a few as well."

"Thank you, James."

"You're welcome Lily."

Sirius whispered to Mars, "You'd think, they only just learned, each other's, names, yea? 'James' and 'Lily'. Honestly."

"Be nice Star Boy; they are new to this." Mars whispered back and they both laughed softly at their two friends just learning this courtship dance.

All the older students were friendly and polite to these young witches and wizards, asked them how their first trip on the Hogwarts Express went, encouraged them to tell the tale of the first time they crossed the magic barrier at platform nine and three-quarters, asked them how they liked the castle and actually listened to the excited first-years, tell their tales. The little first-years giggled happily and munched the sweets provided. Soon however, they tried and failed to stifle their yawns, it was obviously time for these eleven year olds to be off to bed and so Lily with the two witches and Remus with the two wizards climbed the spiral staircase to the dorms labeled _First Year's_ , boys on the left and girls on the right.

Both prefects continued up the tower to drop off their bags and met back down in the common room for the rest of the evening. Pete broke out his chess set and he and Dor commenced battle. It was a vicious game lasting about half an hour; invariably Pete won. Pete always won but Dor, as least, offered a spirited challenge. They discussed the coming Quidditch season and Gryffindor's chances, they theorized about their new Professor Diggle. Apparently, Mr. Potter still loved dueling; he was a known world class duelist and dueled Diggle regularly just to keep his skills fresh so that made everyone else hopeful. Lily liked his name; Dedalus Diggle. "Dueling Dedalus Diggle!" she laughed it out and the rest of the room just stared at her, except for James and he gave her the thumbs up.

They all relished the opportunity to trash the Slytherins in the privacy of their common room; even Lily was game for some healthy Slytherin bashing. They gossiped about who was doing what with or to whom. No mention was made of Snape specifically and even Sirius who was evidently concerned about this new _friendship_ between his little brother and Snape seemed willing to behave. No mention was made of the War either as morning would come soon enough and with it, Owl Post. The Marauders always seemed to have a Daily Profit handy so the War would probably be a big topic of conversation and therefore, could wait.

The fire was slowly turning to colored coals and finally all ten of the last Gryffindors to be awake trudged up the spiral staircase to their beds. Frank was in his last year at Hogwarts and newly appointed Head Boy but he still lived with the Marauders as he had done for five years. There had been rumors that he would have a private room with the Head Girl but that was just an urban legend. Private quarters for the Head Boy and Girl; it was ludicrous! Frank had wondered if Dumbledore had selected him to be Head Boy because he lived with the Marauders; maybe he could keep them in check? But no, that couldn't be all of it because Remus was a prefect and a Marauder. Remus would never put a dampener on the Marauder's fun unless it turned dangerous or ugly. Then again, Dumbledore might not know everything that the Marauders got up to; how could he?... Frank didn't and he lived with them! Truth be told, none of the Marauder's pranks or practical jokes ever broke Hogwarts' school rules much except for magic not being permitted in the corridors. The Marauders saved their nastier pranks for the Slytherins; the Slytherins would never tell because it would make them look like a bunch of Muggles, victimized so often by the Marauders. As far as Frank was concerned the Slytherins deserved what they got.

Oddly, the Slytherins were never good at pranking the Marauders back. The few times they had tried had them coming off the worse. Marauder pranks were nearly always quite public, so they could be enjoyed by everyone; they did show off! The Slytherins would taunt Gryffindors and insult their families or their intelligence, they would jinx and hex and duel but failed at pranking. Must be their rubbish sense of humor, Frank thought and chuckled to himself. Lily frequently accused James of hexing anyone who annoyed him but that was not entirely true. Sirius did his fair share of hexing in the corridors but James only ever hexed Snape. It was cute to hear them not yell at each other and call each other by their first names! It was like they were first years practicing pronunciation; _James_ and _Lily_.

Remus never hexed anyone if he could help it but he'd always come to another's defense, except an older Slytherin. Pete never initiated hexing anyone, especially a Slytherin but certainly participated once it began. Lily had terrible timing because she invariably arrived on the scene only in time to see James's behavior and that of the Marauders, never observing Snape's or the Slytherins'. James was not a mean-spirited person no matter what Lily thought and Frank knew that Snape gave as good as he got. Of course, Lily never spotted this and had always refused to consider that Snape might be the mean-spirited one. How she ever could have been friends with that slimy git Frank would never know.

No... Dumbledore, must have had other reasons for awarding him the badge. Frank's good marks (eight O's and two E's on his O.W.L.'s), he knew everyone...he was well liked and even admired by the younger students...he was stable, consistent and a powerful wizard, he wanted to be an Auror, so surely, these characteristics had to weigh in his favor more than _dorming with the Marauders_! Frank thought of Alice; she would frequently interrupt his thoughts at unpredictable times. He and Emmeline would have to schedule a Hogsmeade weekend soon; he could do with a bit of snogging. He smiled in the dark...rolled to his side... and eventually nodded off with a little smile on his face; he had Alice and he was Head Boy, life was good!

James had a hard time falling asleep. There would be a full moon soon. He knew that Remus was thinking of it too ... they would need a new set of plans this year. Sirius never appeared to worry so he seemed to sleep like the dead; hopefully he was really sleeping now. Pete might be drawing behind the curtains of his four-poster, but that always relaxed him and with Pete, relaxation was synonymous with safety and safety led to snoozing. No, James was the worrier of the four and it worried him. How could his friends fall asleep so effortlessly? There was a war on! Peeves had yet to make an appearance and that was disconcerting! Quidditch tryouts were in two weeks and that was a whole other ball game! The Slytherins failed to taunt, hex or duel the Marauders on the train and that was unheard of. Then, of course, there was Lily...he'd talked too much during the feast ... jabbered really, like the first-years but she made him nervous. She did seem to appreciate their falling star display and his contribution to the sweets for the first-years.

She thought he had a ridiculous number of house elves. Well, that was true enough. She found out he was rich ... surely that was bad! _Spoiled little rich wizard tended to by a horde of house elves, never had to worry about a thing except maybe getting lost in his very large house or on his very vast grounds!_ She never said it but he could imagine her thinking it. Why had he shown those pictures in the first place? Well, they were funny, especially when Remus did his little stop-motion charm. Remus probably should not have shown everyone that particular skill; it could lead to questions.

 _A map of Hogwarts?_ Lily was too clever and they would need to tread carefully if she actually started to spend time with them, a delightful but risky proposition. On the up-side, she did call him by his first name. Finally, after years of _arrogant, bullying toe-rag_ and _Potter!_ She knew his name was James and she said it out loud...in front of other people! Well, that was a definite victory and he could actually hear this new sound, her voice in his head saying his name... _James_ ... without malice or sarcasm. Her imitation of Sirius at platform nine and three-quarters was spot on! It was good for Sirius to be made fun of. Might keep him humble. Nah, Sirius just wasn't the humble sort. With thoughts of Lily, ... his lovely Lily, saying his name ... _James_ … somehow managed to drift off with a smile on his face. It was good to be back because Lily was here.

Lily was proud of herself this night; she did not yell at James and she called him by his first name the whole day, she did not sock Sirius, she did not become defensive and she did not mention Snape, even once … well except with Remus but that was different. Sirius still seemed to have it out for Snape though and Lily couldn't blame him; she didn't think any good would come of a friendship between Snape and Regulus, at least not good as good should be. She felt stupid now after she had learned so much about the Marauders in just one day. It was overwhelming! Pete was an artist! Remus really was a Marauder, he planned pranks and was a prefect at the same time! Sirius didn't take himself seriously! James liked to bake, played the piano and cared about his house elves! It's as mad!

All those house elves though...seventeen was an awful lot. What ever would they all do if James never married or had kids? The falling star display was magical magic ... they were terribly talented, the Marauders. James added to her sweets pile so another attribute; anonymous generosity. Discovering the real James Potter might not be difficult as she'd imagined. He did seem more mature this year, not so much the show off. When he wasn't behaving like an arse she quite liked being with him and she always enjoyed looking at him, catching his scent, watching his lips when he spoke and noting that when she was near his attention was always devoted exclusively to her. In the dark of her dorm room, she blushed.

Maybe she could get Pete to draw that map of Hogwarts she mentioned. She'd have to talk to Dumbledore about that...the castle was unplottable but did that mean from inside the wards or just its location in Scotland? Would Pete be willing to do it? Maybe Remus could charm the locations and staircases to move, since they did move. Now that she thought about it nearly everything in the castle moved, the residents of all the portraits moved from portrait to portrait to visit, the suits of armor never seemed to stay in place ... it was a great idea really. First-years could do with a map. It's a wonder that no one's ever thought of it before now. Lily ... was ... drifting off now ... She fell asleep, listening to owls calling to one another. She was warm, happy and safe ... home really. The War could wait, maps could wait, her questions about the Marauders could wait. James called her Lily... and she liked it.


	3. Chapter Three NEWT's Day One

**Chapter Three: N.E.W.T.'s: Day One**

With uniforms on, wands in their pockets and book-bags in tow, the five Gryffindor sixth year witches made their way to the common room to find the Marauders waiting for them.

"Thought we could all go down together, ya know? Start a N.E.W.T. tradition."

"Is he always this clever so early in the morning?" Lily questioned irritably. She was never her best in the morning and didn't fully wake up before she had her caffeine. Still, James ignored her tone and proceeded to lead all nine of them to the portrait hole and waited for them all to exit. Lily feeling properly chastised cleverly stationed herself in the back of this line so she could walk with James by way of apology.

"He's always like this, Lily!" Sirius grumbled once they were in the corridor. "Any time of day, even early morning James outshines the lot of us with his cheery disposition!" Apparently, morning wasn't Sirius's favorite time of the day either and somehow that made Lily happy. James would be used to morning grumps and she had something else in common with Sirius.

"Sirius would lie-in every morning if he had things his own way. He usually never even speaks until after two cups of tea or one cup of strong coffee." Remus added, always chipper in the middle of the lunar cycle; you could set your calendar by his moods.

"I'm starving so get a move on! I, want to eat some of everything." Dor barked! She was an eater. She was hungry any time of day or night and habitually carried fruit and crisps with her in her book-bag, lest she come over faint.

"Lead on Dor! What's a morning at Hogwarts without you rushing us to breakfast?" Mars mocked her. She could be a morning person when she got her eight hours and could stay up late too. She had no preference for a specific time of day as long as she got her eight hours. She was very even tempered and better at enjoying life than most. But she could not go without her sleep so while Dor was a slave to food, Mars' day turned on the previous night's rest. Both Mary and Alice were morning people and were always the first to wake. Each seemed to take each day as it came and modified and adjusted accordingly.

"Well, I have a hot wizard waiting for me in The Great Hall so none of you could be more driven to get there than I am!" Alice chimed.

"How about you Mary?" Pete asked.

"How about me, what?" Mary responded sounding slightly alarmed, this question coming on the back of Alice mentioning hot wizards.

"Early bird or night owl?" Pete asked.

"Oh. Well, I guess I'm pretty easy with whatever comes my way." Sounding relieved Mary continued. "Truth is Pete, I'm still amazed I'm here, even after five years. I'm a witch and that is just so crackers!"

Their trek to breakfast was abruptly interrupted by the least welcome of Hogwarts inhabitant's: Peeves the Poltergeist. It had to be Peeves as waste was dropping on their heads from apparently suspended waste bins and though still invisible they heard him cackling at his own work. Peeves was a menace and the undisputed leader in pranking over the Marauders and the Prewett twins. The Marauders found many of their ideas were inspired by this rude little man so on the surface, they were kindred spirits. This did not however make the Marauders immune to being his victim and today Peeves seemed in a particularly peevish mood. He didn't always show himself but you could always tell where he'd been; just follow the misery!

"Peevesie! You're late! We expected you last night. Good to see you've finally come out to play!" Sirius loved taunting this wicked manifestation of life in limbo and Peeves could not resist a taunt from Sirius. "Didn't ya miss us?"

A loud, rude noise like air escaping a balloon at speed, answered. There was a loud pop and then a little man with wicked, dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating, cross-legged in the air right above them. For the first time in history, Peeves just sorta hung there. This was very worrying!

"What's up with you today you pitiful Poltergeist? Lost your nerve?" Sirius tried again and Peeves just stuck his tongue out at them and then he vanished.

"What the bloody hell was that all about?" Pete yelled.

"No idea Pete but it's a lucky break if you ask me. Peeves before breakfast shouldn't be allowed!" Dor liked the unpredictable but she couldn't stand Peeves. "I'm starving so I really don't care what's got his nickers in a twist! Let's get outta here before his nerve returns, eh!"

"Way to go Sirius; piss off the Poltergeist! What were you thinking?" Mars sounded stern but the look on her face while she teased Sirius was far from stern.

"I'm with them!" Remus chimed in. Always one to avoid confrontation when possible, Remus could be very agreeable when he wanted and right now he was hungry. "Dor's right. We should go before he changes his mind."

The smell of food found them before they found their seats. Frank was already there and seemed to be saving their places; as if anyone would sit where they sat. Alice took her rightful place next to Frank and the rest just climbed into their usual spots, wizards on the side facing both the witches and the Slytherins; no Gryffindor wizard with a brain would sit with their back to the enemy. Lily and Sirius reached first for caffeine and today there was coffee! The house elves spared no expense on breakfast; it was the most important meal of the day, especially when it came to magic! They were piling their choices on their plates just in time for Owl Post.

James was first to be found by his owl. Mighty was an unusually large and beautiful snowy with unique black markings on the tips of his wings, the tips of his ears and across his alarmingly large face. If you didn't know Mighty was a post owl he'd be terrifying! He was a very stern looking bird and far bigger than most post owls but James was his wizard so they understood each other. Mighty flew once around their heads to find the best angle for his approach and landed gracefully right on James's right shoulder, not a feather out of place!

"Mighty!" James greeted his owl and lifted his hand to stroke the great bird's beak. Mighty leaned into James hand and privately Lily melted. James removed Mighty's burden and offered him some of his bacon and juice. He handed the Daily Prophet over to Remus as the group sighed. It was a terrible rag, The Daily Prophet, and they dreaded reading it but did so every day, none the less. Sirius referred to it as The Waste of Good Parchment and no one could argue that. Remus unrolled the paper while watching Mighty closely. Lily wondered if James's owl knew Remus's secret lunar identity but said nothing and went back to sipping her coffee. The owl sat like a proper post owl, all comportment firmly in place waiting in case James had a reply.

Remus opened it to the front page which was filled to the edges with the dreadful news of the day. He looked around at the others, all of whom nodded gravely so Remus frowned and began reading out loud:

 **Muggle Family Found Dead; Death Eaters Suspected!**

 _ **Late last evening, Aurors Apparated to a Muggle home to find the whole family dead! The only evidence left was The Dark Mark hovering eerily over their home, which strongly suggests the Killing Curse was used. The family of four was found sitting at the dinner table but nothing had been eaten! The Muggles appeared untouched but were unmistakably Dead. Head of the auror department, Alastor Moody, attended the scene and had this to say,**_

" _ **Constant vigilance!**_

 _ **We are doing our best but it's not like they hang about and wait for us to arrive now do they or we'd have easy jobs. Obliviators were wands deep modifying the memories of all those Pleaz-Men. And before the age-old argument starts, yes, Muggles can see the dark mark or what would be the point?! That's all I've got to say so … bugger off! We've got enough to do without you lot poking around for your next big scoop!"**_

 _ **Bartemius Crouch, has called for an emergency meeting of Magical Law Enforcement for noon, today! Albus Dumbledore is expected to attend.**_

 _ **In a related story, Fleamont Potter the wizarding philanthropist assured this correspondent that his galleons would be available to mount a response. But…What does that mean?**_

 _ **Who will be responding and what exactly can they do? The Muggles are already dead, right? For more information on Potter's alleged ties to the vigilantes calling themselves "The Order of the Phoenix", see page three…**_

James grabbed the Prophet from Remus, scowled at the front page and tossed it aside with a growl of disgust. Mighty opened his great wings and flew off in a huff, cuffing James around the head as he departed. "Just who the bloody hell do they think they are calling my dad a vigilante? And what do they mean about not responding because they are just Muggles and they're dead already? I hate The Prophet! My dad is not a vigilante! What a waste of parchment!"

"James, check out the Slytherins. They look positively gleeful today." Alice snorted.

"Not all of them." Remus added quietly to Sirius and nodded toward Regulus.

Regulus sat at the end of the Slytherin table across from Snape just as he had the night before. Nothing good could come of this dubious pairing! These two, oddly, didn't seem to share in their house's celebratory mood. They were leaning in to get close enough to hear while keeping their voices down in what looked to be very conspiratorial and private conversation. Lily watched James as he watched Sirius who was watching Snape and Regulus. James and Sirius both hated Snape and each had his reasons. James's expression betrayed his worry about Sirius who was obviously worried about his little brother. No matter how hard Sirius tried to hide it, the love he had for Regulus, despite his choices written in his expression. Lily suddenly felt intrusive so she looked up to High Table to see the reaction of her Professors and their Headmaster.

Dumbledore was in an intensely quiet conversation with Professors Diggle, McGonagall, Slughorn, Flitwick and Sprout, their heads turning from one to the other much like observers of a poorly syncopated tennis match. From the looks on their faces and their body language it was not a conversation that the students were meant to hear. After a few moments, Professor McGonagall picked up a pile of parchments from the table and made her way to her Gryffindors. Professors Flitwick, Slughorn and Sprout were right in step behind her until they fanned out each heading for their own house.

Minerva McGonagall was Dumbledore's Deputy Headmistress, The Head of Gryffindor House and The Transfiguration teacher. She was a strict and demanding teacher who earned her student's respect. She was tall and slender with dark brown hair that she always wore in a neat bun on the top of her head. She had clever sea-green eyes that changed color, depending on how much trouble you were in and she could spot trouble before it happened. She wore spectacles low on her aquiline nose for the purpose of reading and scowling. She had a mischievous streak, appreciated wit and respected excellent magic. She played Quidditch for Gryffindor in her day and was once badly injured during the Cup playoffs against Slytherin. She was highly competitive and to this day loved nothing more than to see Slytherin trounced on the pitch.

Minerva was Scottish through and through, she loved tartan and the sound of Bagpipes. She came from a mixed family of five, her father being the Muggle, was a Reverend. Her mother for many years kept her witch nature secret. Given the deleterious effect that secret keeping between spouses would be expected to have; Minerva abandoned the Muggle world and once she came to Hogwarts, she remained. She never returned to the Muggle world. She'd taught at Hogwarts for twenty-six years and had no desire to retire, ever. Minerva's list of accomplishments was extensive and could be found in Wonderfully Gifted Witches of the Modern Age and Who's Who in the Wizarding World and Animagi: Then and Now. While, learning Transfiguration from Albus Dumbledore, Minerva became the youngest registered Animagi.

She was a five-minute hat-stall and she had been in love twice; once to a Muggle, married once to a Pure-blood member of the sacred twenty-eight but she never changed her name. Both these men preceded her to the grave. She'd worked for the Ministry in Law Enforcement before taking her place at Hogwarts and she was a deeply private person. Minerva McGonagall was a gifted witch who chose to devote her life to her students and to Hogwarts because she was born to teach.

"Minnie!" Sirius Black had not addressed Professor McGonagall properly since his first year. He adored Professor McGonagall and received more detentions from her than any student had in the school's history. He served every single one without complaint.

"Detention Mr. Black and five points from Gryffindor! See me after class and we will arrange your detention." _Minnie? Honestly, Sirius Black will be the death of me!_ But as she thought this she almost smiled.

All the sixth years were cleared for N.E.W.T.'s but they would not all be taking the same classes. Everyone except Remus, Pete and Mary would take the recommended classes to become Aurors. Remus scraped an A in Potions and was quite frankly lucky to achieve that; Remus was terrible at Potions. Pete and Mary scored the same in Transfiguration so these three would take something else. Pete and Mary chose to take Astronomy and Care of Magical Creatures together while Remus chose Care of Magical Creatures and Ancient Runes. The rest enrolled for Potions, Charms, Herbology, Defense Against the Dark Arts, History of Magic and Transfiguration. They needed one more class and felt pressurized to take Muggle Studies but none of them were keen.

"So, do any of you really fancy taking Muggle Studies?" asked James.

"No. But they are recommending it, _strongly_. I don't see how learning about electricity and plumbing will help us prevent Muggle murders. Besides, we have you two so what's the point?" Sirius finished while nodding to Lily and Mary.

"Well Lily, at least we are good for something! There is more to Muggle life than plumbing and plugs, Sirius! I think they mean for you to learn to relate to Muggles, not steal their tools. Still, I don't think you lot will learn much in a classroom setting. You'd learn more getting to know real Muggles, our families, for instance." Mary said with some chiding humor in her voice.

"She's right of course. Besides, I am sure that sixth year Muggle Studies will be far too advanced. Better to have started first year and work your way up. Muggle life is much more complicated than magical life; they have loads of problems and they all need solving." Lily added.

"Problems? Like what Lily? What could possibly be more problematic than war with Voldemort?" James asked looking doubtful that any problem could be more difficult than theirs.

"Everything they use to get by without magic requires maintaining. Things break and must be repaired without magic, you know, manually. They are always inventing something new or a better machine to save time or make money so, everyone has to keep up. It's a lot of work really, living as a Muggle. I don't fancy ever living like that again. Anyway, maybe sit in on a class just once and see how you all do?"

"You all? What's that supposed to mean?" Sirius looked insulted.

"We, I mean, Mary, Dor, Remus and I have a Muggle parent so we have been exposed to Muggle life. You, James, Pete, Mars, Alice have not lived with a Muggle so it will all be new to you. Frank got his N.E.W.T.'s so his classes are set already. Besides, I'd rather continue with Care of Magical Creatures anyway; it's a bit more useful in this world and we're finally getting to the dangerous and frankly, interesting creatures."

"I agree with Lily." Mary said. "I have already lived as a Muggle and given a choice … well … there is no choice really. I'm staying here, in this world! Lily, you and I should stay in Care of Magical Creatures otherwise, what was the point of the last five years? Besides, you're right, the really interesting creatures are always saved for last! Let these idiots decide on their own. Muggle Studies? Honestly."

Mary and Lily signed up for Care of Magical Creatures, leaving the rest of the Gryffindors to decide on their own.

"I've always wanted a kneazle Mary! And an owl! Last year Professor Kettleburn said that we study both this year."

"It is excellent isn't it Lily, having magic!" Mary whispered.

"It is, Mary! It absolutely is!" Lily whispered back.

With breakfast done the hall emptied and the Gryffindors chattered excitedly on their way to their first N.E.W.T. class; most had Double Potions with Professor Slughorn. Potions was held in the dungeons and Professor Slughorn was there to greet them. He was Head of Slytherin House but no one ever seemed to remember this except the Slytherins. He was nice, Professor Slughorn and Lily secretly adored him. He was a fine teacher and a world class Potioneer. It was true that he preferred to teach the talented but honestly, didn't all teachers prefer that? Who enjoys teaching the untalented? The Slug Club was his personal collection of the most talented, interesting or well-connected students and Lily and Mars were both members. Lily couldn't see the harm in it. She'd have to ask about their first get-together.

Professor Slughorn was short, rotund and had a taste for the finer things. He, like Lily, was a ginger and he had sweet blue eyes that lit up when he was interested. He enjoyed fine wine, good conversation, comfort and of course, brewing. He could be found in Prestigious Potioneers of the Modern Era and Who's Who in the Wizarding World and was known to collaborate with the famous and talented. He was reputed to enjoy ballroom dancing, playing the piano, dueling and of course, brewing.

When his students entered the dungeon, Professor Slughorn had evidently been hard at work already, though he certainly would have called it play. On his demonstration bench sat four cauldrons, simmering over low burners and sending the most delicious smells into the room, Lily felt a bit light headed. The whole room smelled like James! She went straight up to the bench. Unfortunately, Snape did too and it was the first time they had been near one another since the end of fifth year. Lily ignored him, having potions to draw her attention but their way was blocked by their teacher.

"Not yet you two; always so keen, aren't you? We'll get our benches ready first. Still, I love your enthusiasm!" he said as he shooed them away from the cauldrons.

"Welcome back! Off you go! Get those benches ready! You have fifteen minutes and stow your bags _under_ your benches please! It wouldn't do to have an accident first day! Besides, you're N.E.W.T. students now and you will behave accordingly or spend time with Mr. Filch! Your choice."

Nothing worked so well to keep students in line as the threat of Filch's company so before anyone went to their locked drawers they made a point of stowing their bags under the benches. Lily shared a drawer with Mars and when she opened it she was glad. She and Mars enjoyed Potions and took excellent care of their equipment; their drawer, was neat and orderly and the two grinned at each other. It was good to be back here, in the dungeon getting ready to brew.

"What did Snape have to say?" Mars whispered.

"Nothing." Lily whispered back.

"Good. He has got a nerve if he thinks he can talk his way out of being on my toss-pot list! Just ignore him Lily and if he has any sense, he'll go away."

"It's weird. We did love brewing together. It was something we shared, ya know? Now, I just can't imagine it. He sorta makes my skin crawl, Mars. Does that make me a terrible person?"

"Not at all. He can't be trusted Lily and it may make you sad at times like this but don't forget, he showed you his true nature last year. He never deserved you in the first place. I've always said this! Never mind Snape, we've potions to inspect!"

Professor Slughorn was waiting for them rubbing his hands together and bouncing on the balls of his little feet; it was his characteristic gesture. "Now, when I say, you are all to approach my bench but be warned! If a single one of you blabs the name of any of these potions I will not be happy. Just observe them. They will be the focus or our studies for the first term. Alright, come on up and no shoving."

The whole class moved forward and surrounded Slughorn's bench.

"Your job for the next several of weeks will consist of identifying each potion, then by deconstruction, determine the identity and exact amount of each component. Finally, you will propose a method for the brewing of each. The instructions have been removed from the library for those of you who would be tempted. Besides, N.E.W.T. students have no need of them so don't waste your time looking. These are all N.E.W.T potions and will be part of your exams next year. I will come to all of you so unless it's an emergency, save your questions for then. This assignment is designed to force you to recall all you've learned for the last five years. Such fun!" Professor Slughorn finished his whole body alight with joy.

"Such fun? Such fun! He's mad." Sirius spat in a whisper to James as they returned to their shared bench.

"Don't be stupid Pads! We earned O's on our O.W.L.'s. It'll be a piece-a-cake!"

"Really Prongs? You've got to be joking. So, what were those, eh? Go on!"

"Well …I 'm not completely sure. Dad would be so disappointed in me! One was Amortentia and one was Polyjuice but the others, I'm not sure. We did alright last year and dad is a famous Potioneer! Surely, we can manage this, right?"

"And how did you know one was Amortentia?" Sirius questioned a bit too knowingly.

"Same way you did Pads." James shot back and Sirius let the subject drop.

"Face facts James! We're in trouble! I can't remember everything I've learned. Can you?"

"We were just taken by surprise Pads. Give your brain time to catch up and we'll be fine. Besides, we're brilliant, you know we are."

"Not in Potions we're not! How did we earn those O's? We secretly studied like mad! And of course, I secured enough detentions with Minnie to help! Maybe we could ask Lily or Mars? Look at them over there! They've started already! Slug Club Lily and her sidekick Mars! We're doomed."

Professor Slughorn was a teacher as much as he was a Potioneer. He could recognize panic before it happened and panic never helped when brewing. Far be it from a student to ask the teacher for help! He strolled his way over to James and Sirius, his hands behind his back, big belly leading his way.

"So, boys, which potion will you start first? Polyjuice, as you well remember has the most ingredients but it's the least challenging to deconstruct." He rubbed his palms together and bounced on the balls of his little feet as if he'd love to deconstruct Polyjuice. "Amortentia, now that's a complicated potion and dangerous! The fumes alone cause befuddlement and distracted day-dreaming. It's easy enough to deconstruct but stubborn about revealing exact amounts since these can vary depending on the brewer's requirements. The Draft of Living Death. Best to save it for last, wouldn't you agree?" He smiled kindly at James and Sirius who tried desperately to hide their lingering doubts. "Then of course there's Felix Felicis, a very straight forward brew, obviously but it's seldom deconstructed since the brewer generally consumes it straight away." Slughorn chuckled at his own recollection. "But, I waste your time. You, of course, know all this already or at least you did. I do tend to carry on, don't I? Don't let me keep you from your work. Surely someone in this dungeon actually needs my help." Slughorn strolled away aiming for Snape's bench who hardly needed help but he was one of Slughorn's favorites, everyone knew that. James and Sirius exhaled and looked at each other, trying not to laugh.

"Polyjuice it is!" James said in an excellent impersonation of their teacher, rubbing his palms together and bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Droll James, very droll. You know, we should nick some of that Polyjuice; it could come in handy. Check out Snivellus, showing off. Looks like he could deconstruct these in his sleep. Teacher's pet! Did you notice when we first arrived? He went straight up front. To see the potions or to be close to Lily?"

"Both, I'm sure. I hate that bloke Pads! I swear he is the most dislikable person I've ever encountered, even at a distance! What Lily ever saw in him that was likable is beyond me. Every time I see him my hand instinctively goes straight to my wand. We could nick his book though and save ourselves the humiliation of asking Lily or Mars. Look! Writing his little notes, his nose practically in it. He'd better stay away from Lily or my wand might just get ideas of its own!"

"Temper, temper Prongs." Sirius said in the tone of a parent admonishing an unruly child. "That temper of yours never helped you impress her before. Remember, she's not yours to defend, at least she's not yours yet. I'm sure your wand has plenty ideas of its own where Lily is concerned." Sirius received another blow from James's elbow and winced. "Would you stop that! If you don't I might just have to habitually call you Jaime! Still, regarding Lily, I think she's finally seen Snivelly for who he really is. Besides, she never fancied him, she only hung around him to keep away from you. You do know that, right?"

"No. That's preposterous! I don't know that. I don't even know what you're on about."

"She protested too much. Maybe they were bosom buddies in first year but by fifth he was more like her shield."

"Her shield? Really?" James looked hopeful. "I dunno Pads. I think I gave her plenty of just cause to protest. Still, I'd bet she will never forgive him for calling her a Mudblood. Humiliating her in a public place! It's unforgivable! Still, I'm glad he showed his poisonous spots in front of everyone. He proved us right all along. But, he embarrassed her and I should have kept him suspended upside down indefinitely! He hurt her feelings Pads and he embarrassed her in front of everyone."

"You're usually right about people James but in this, you've completely lost the plot. Between you and me _I_ am the expert in gauging a witch's interest. You know this is true so don't bother to argue!" James had started to argue but then closed his mouth and let Sirius finish. "She wasn't embarrassed by him you dolt! She was embarrassed by you! She's always fancied you even then though I am certain she didn't really know she did. Why do you think she made such a show of hating you, eh? Witches never carry on the way she did unless they fancy a wizard who also happens to quite hack them off. You hacked her off quite a lot in those days. All you really needed to do was to grow up. You never ask a witch out like that! If you'd have asked her properly, she might have said yes! It's a subtle science and an exact art of which _I_ am the master!"

"Nah, really? Nah." James looked over to where Lily and Mars were working and sighed. His hand went straight to his hair, his tongue straight to licking his chapped lips and then he pushed his glasses up higher on his nose for a better view. After about a minute he shrugged his shoulders and returned his attention to Sirius and the task they'd been set. "Let's get to work, eh? We'll need all the time we've got to do this deconstruction business and I doubt that dad will be much help. Thinks I inherited his talent."

"I bet he'd help me. I'll write tonight and beg. Say I'm partnered with a troll and need his expertise. Cheer up! We've Transfiguration next."

When they entered the Transfiguration classroom, Professor McGonagall was waiting for them. She stood in front of her desk and Sirius could have sworn she was leaning on it. Minnie never leaned! This had to mean something so he led the way to their usual seats at the very front, dropped his book bag at his feet, plopped casually into his desk and looked up at her expectantly. The rest of the class found their seats, faced their teacher and waited.

N.E.W.T.'s," she began without preamble, "will include both non-verbal and wandless magic." She placed her wand on her desk and faced her students. Then, without warning, she transfigured herself into a cat that looked just like her human self. The whole class rose from their seats and broke into a rambunctious applause.

"You gotta love her!" Sirius barked proudly. He looked at the other students who actually were staring as they began to move forward to get a closer look. McGonagall leapt gracefully to her desk and sitting very rigidly giving them the stern look that she was known for. No one dared to reach out and touch her but Sirius was certain that they all wanted to. Then she leapt back down to the floor, the students gave her room and she un-transfigured. Once again, the students applauded as if they couldn't resist and they were favored with a rare smile. This was a gift as Professor McGonagall hated to be at the center of attention and they rarely saw her smile.

"Today, we will start by transfiguring parts of animals on to parts of other animals, properly known as Cross-Species Switches. This is to prepare you to perform a full switching spell both non-verbally and without a wand." The class openly groaned at that. This was a whopper of a lesson to start with but then, she had always expected a lot from them. "First we will use wands to clear the cobwebs and perhaps by Friday when you have succeeded in recalling that you do know how to do magic. Perhaps some of you," she eyed James, Sirius and Remus and they stood a little taller, "will be able to perform cross-species switches either without your wand or perhaps non-verbally by Friday. Remember that you have been away for two months and I'm sure you are a bit rusty." She frowned as she said rusty as if the notion of a witch or wizard being rusty at magic was distasteful. "I have for you here a collection of fresh water invertebrates to start with and as you usually progress individually, I can provide you with as complex an animal as you require."

And so, they began. Remus partnered Dor and set a precedent. Sirius headed straight for Mars. Alice partnered a Ravenclaw named Terrence Boot who was a prefect and known for his talent in this class so Lily was left to James. She smiled his way and her color rose from her chest to the top of her head. She hated it!

"Hey Lily. C'mon, it'll be fun." James nodded toward the table of invertebrates and she followed him over to examine their choices. "Where should we start? We should pick creature combinations that will make us laugh, ya know? Hang on. Professor?"

"Mr. Potter?"

"Could we use salt-water and fresh-water invertebrates together?" James asked like a kid asking if he could try all the sweets in a sweet shop.  
"I'm sure _you_ could Mr. Potter. What did you have in mind?" Professor McGonagall replied with that glimmer of mischief dancing in her sea-green eyes. Lily was not mistaken; she was smiling! Then again, James was brilliant in Transfigurations and McGonagall appreciated excellent magic. But today, while searching for the real James Potter, Lily saw more. Professor McGonagall looked at James with a fondness Lily always mistook for favoritism but as she observed the conversation between James and her professor today, there was more to it. Was it respect? Like the respect she and Professor Slughorn shared? Lily decided she'd need to pay closer attention in future and stop relying on the past.

"Pairs that will make us laugh, of course!" He said this as if it should be obvious. "It's a double period so there's loads I can think to combine!" James looked proudly at his Professor as if hoping she would indulge him just as much while he worked with Lily as she did when he worked with Sirius.

Apparently, she would. She conjured a bowl of salt-water invertebrates and placed it in his hands. "These should suffice."

"Thanks Professor. So, Lily, which do you want to try first?"

"Me? First? Fat chance! You're the transfiguration master James, you first!" Lily was alarmed but mastered herself in a heartbeat and chose to eye him as McGonagall would, with challenge in her stance as well as her voice. It worked. James couldn't resist responding like the gifted student he was, given the chance to show off! Maybe they were changing but not so fast as to be rid of all their old habits in a single day. So, it was true. In their past, he'd always showed off when she was near. Today she was quite near and he was showing off but this time he didn't seem mean-spirited, rather, he seemed to be trying to impress her.

He Transfigured fresh with fresh then salt with salt before graduating to fresh with salt. In just under an hour, he'd performed every combination he could think of and against her will, she was impressed and laughed the whole time. He was fun to partner. She was actually enjoying herself delighting in the bizarre switches James chose. And in what seemed like no time James had finished and suddenly it was Lily's turn. She hesitated.

"Lily? Please, don't mind my asking but, you do understand the theory behind this right? I'm not trying to be an arrogant-toe-rag-show-off. You usually aren't hesitant but, you're hesitating now."

Lily huffed her frustration and countered. "Are you sure about that? The showing off bit? You just performed the cross-species switching spell on that lot!" Lily whispered rather loudly.

James's expression changed right before her eyes. He looked too much like he had in their past, defensive, misunderstood and it was Lily's turn to feel like a bullying toe-rag. Was it possible he was trying not to show-off but to help her? This James was unexplored territory and she liked him better than the old James. Like most everything about him this year his motivations seemed to have changed. Then, she watched him master himself, which was also new. She realized she'd been watching him as if they were alone. They were not. They were in the middle of class and she colored like someone caught in some act of intimacy.

"Sorry. Honestly. I apologize James. Of course, you're right. It's just … being your partner makes me quite nervous. You've always been best in this class. I am just not up to your level. You should have partnered someone else. Why would you partner me James? Right … I was last to be partnered."

"You were, but not for the reasons you think." James exhaled and turned his whole body to face her and waited until she gave him her eyes. "It's just, we got on so well yesterday, I think our friends just want to see more of that, us…getting on … not rowing all the time and yelling at each other by surnames. Besides, you are good enough at the practical bit, I've watched you for years." He stuffed his hands deep into his trouser pockets looking caught out for having admitted that. "We could go over the theory some time, outside of class if you wanted?"

"Really? You'd do that for me? After all that yelling at you I did?"

"I'd do anything for you Lily."

The double period flew by and before they knew it Professor McGonagall called for their attention. "For Friday, one roll of parchment on the theory of cross-species switches due on my desk first thing. Well done today. I see the cobwebs clearing. Now go eat! Mr. Black? Shall we arrange your detention?"

"That was a nightmare, honestly! Bit much for first lesson?" Dor complained between mouthfuls.

"It was great!" Remus said with evident joy. He'd always been at the top of the class in Transfiguration. "Dor, you did just fine. I know that you lack confidence in that class but that's probably just because James and Sirius show off so much. I don't think that McGonagall expects everyone to do as well as they do, just as well as we can."

"You're too modest Remus Lupin. You're just as good at Transfiguration as they are, you're just not a show off. But, are you always this reasonable Remus?"

"I am.

"Lily what did you think?" Dor asked deflecting.

"I think I need tutoring. Mars? How did you two get on?"

"Excuse me?" Mars said, blushing. "Oh…right, well, Sirius showed off the whole time but promised to help me later, outside of class. Come to think of it, it's a bit insulting! He spent the whole double period showing off! We're not rubbish you know, just because we aren't as good as McGonagall's class pets!"

"That's not fair Mars! Sirius isn't even here to defend himself! You and Lily are Slughorn's pets so… who are you to talk? What about we share in an exchange like with my elves? You can help us in Potions and we'll help you in Transfiguration?" James suggested diplomatically like it had only just occurred to him but Lily felt certain he'd been planning this. "Remus? What say we meet in our special, secret place tonight for some help from these witches?"

"No place I'd rather be. They can help us and we can help them. Very simpatico." Remus said nodding while openly looking at Dor. She smirked, looking right back.

Sirius ambled in with a smile on his face. "What are we helping them with that will be so simpatico?"

"We are going to meet in ROR for some mutual tutoring." Remus whispered, tearing his eyes from Dor.

"Sounds randy to me!" Sirius's smile changed to a smirk and he looked right at Mars.

"Not a bit. The witches would like a bit of background in Transfiguration and in exchange they will give us some help with Potions. When is your detention?" asked James.

"Just after dinner. McGonagall said half five, for an hour."

"So, we'll all meet on the Quidditch pitch at half six. That sound good for everyone? Sirius, write your letter to dad and I'll send it with Mighty while you are serving with McGonagall. Remus, don't you and Lily have a prefect meeting? And Mars and Dor have to inspect the Quidditch equipment so it will all work out just right."

"Is he always like this Remus? So Captainish?" Lily whispered.

"Yes Lily." Remus explained looking fondly at James. "He's our Captain. He can't help it. Look at how happy he is, getting everyone's life organized to suit him. We like him being our leader since we aren't all cut out for leadership. You have to admit, he is very good at it." Remus winked at Lily and she frowned back at him but her frown was replaced, against her will by a growing smile.

Mars was laughing at something and blurted out, "Anything to keep from gaining Pete's reputation in Transfiguration! I'm all in. Remember when he accidentally transfigured his hands into flippers? Had to go to Madam Pomfrey to get his hands back. Where is Pete anyway…and Mary?" Mars looked around.

"Oi! That's our Pete you're disparaging Mars! Better watch it or I'll transfigure your hands into flippers, see how you like being teased!" James scolded.

"Sorry!" Mars said, not really sounding all that sorry. It was funny. Sirius called him _Porpoise-Pete_ behind James's back. Even Pete thought it was funny so no one got why James was bothered. "So, where are they, Mary and Pete?"

"No idea. I'm sure they will turn up. You know how Pete hates to miss his meals."

"I do hate to miss my meals Remus." Pete and Mary had arrived.

"Where have you two been? I was just thinking to pack up something in case you missed lunch all together."

"Thank you, Lily. That was very thoughtful. We have been in The Astronomy Tower." Mary said matter-of-factly.

"Bit early for that sort of thing Pete?" Sirius said smirking.

"Hardly Sirius. We were on a Celestino mission. He just received three new telescopes and we were mounting them for class tonight."

"Mounting. In the Astronomy Tower. Like I said Pete. Bit early. But, if it works for you who am I to question your charms? He's a player, our Pete." Sirius wasn't the only one to be sniggering now but he did look at Pete with pride written all over his face. Pete stuck his chest out as subtly as possible while blushing. Interestingly enough, Mary did not blush at all but looked Pete over with evident interest.

For the first time all day, the nine Gryffindor sixth years were together as they trooped toward the greenhouses for Double Herbology; their last class. They walked in a group and visited as they went. Having been in class all day they all seemed to have a lot of pent up energy so the boys leap-frogged their way and did a lot of hippogriffing around. Sirius offered to give Mars a piggy-back ride and she agreed. James came over to Lily and squatted all the way down, patting his shoulders. Lily vigorously shook her head and felt her face heat up. He gave her that hurt puppy look so she shook her head some more.

"It's not a date Lily! It's just a bit of fun. Now climb on before I look more a fool than I already do."

Lily found herself climbing up onto James's shoulders without a second thought. Why was she agreeing to this? He wrapped his arms around her legs and she held on to his head. His hair was right there, begging to be touched so she gave in and grabbed a handful, pulling a little as if to say, 'giddy-up!' James, to her surprise complied and started trotting as she bounced up and down on his shoulders. Dor offered to piggy-back Remus and he complied. Having committed to this, Dor struggled under his weight for quite a long while, she was half his size even if she was strong. He seemed to enjoy this just a bit too much so Dor dropped him on his arse and insisted that they swap. Pete and Mary walked side by side and seemed content to give all this athleticism a miss. Alice led the way singing the school song to the tune of God Save the Queen and using her wand like a conductor's baton.

Professor Sprout heard the Gryffindor sixth years before she actually saw them. She smiled to herself when she looked up from her class preparations to see them having fun as they should do; they were youngsters after all! "Hurry up now! Lot's to do!"

The sixth years ran. Sirius with Mars on his back, James with Lily bouncing on his shoulders, Dor wiggled around so Remus had her not on his back but on his front. She never even touched the ground and he was blushing terribly when he saw the look their Herbology Professor gave them but Dor hung on!

Alice announced their arrival. "We're here now so class can begin!"

"Very cheeky Miss Prewett. Thank you for your permission. Lucky for you, I'm in a good mood today. Everyone inside, one at a time please." The witches hopped off their wizards, straightened themselves up a bit and led the boys into greenhouse three. Lily entered the greenhouses with a self-conscious smile on her face. Mars noticed this but said nothing.

"Today, sixth years, we will be harvesting Sopophorous Beans. Professor Slughorn has made a request and I've said that my sixth years will provide. This will require team work because the Sopophorous plants are fully mature now and I expect they will put up a fight." She looked proud of her plants as if putting up a fight was a good thing. "You are N.E.W.T. students now so I expect you to use your reasoning skills and practice diplomacy with these fine specimens before you resort to attempting to take any of their beans by force!"

Professor Sprout was Head of Hufflepuff House and was considered by most to be an expert in magical plant hybridization. She was a short, round witch with short, curly brown hair, sparkling brown eyes, she was always covered in dirt and never seemed to mind. She was Australian but had immigrated to the British Isles to attend Hogwarts. She was a well-established Herbologist and collaborated with experts in many fields most notably, the Healing Arts and Potioneers. She was particularly fond of dangerous, rare and experimental magical plants. She made important contributions to the treatment of Dragon Pox and was currently researching treatments to lessen the effects of Lycanthropy. She was published in The Herbalists Quarterly and could be found in Who's Who in the Wizarding World.

She stepped up to the front of class to demonstrate how to harvest sopophorous beans and as always, she made it look easy. She hummed, she stroked, she flattered and soon the plant was practically de-beaning itself for her.

"OK James, you first. Go on, flatter the plant! Or you could hum." Sirius said, smirking.

"Shut up Pads! I feel ridiculous enough as it is! Look at Pete and Dor. How the hell do they do it? Mary and Remus only have to stand there and leave their partners to get on with it. Clever. They're almost as good at this as Sprout herself. And people say we are show-offs!"

Lily and Mars were struggling too and laughing as the plants resisted their attempts to charm them out of their beans. "I know I need this class to become a Healer and in theory it is interesting. Yet, when I get here and I am battling whatever plant we are given to study I always feel like an idiot!" Mars whispered exasperatedly to Lily.

"Me too Mars. I'm not that interested in the plants themselves, rather in their use in potion-making." Lily was humming to her plant and stroking it but she seemed to have no charm and the plant stubbornly refused to let her anywhere near it's beans. "Too bad we aren't as interesting as Remus; Dor would have worked with us. I think he fancies her. What do you think?"

"I think she fancies him! They'd be great together. So maybe tonight during tutoring, Dor could give us some pointers on how to get beans out of these selfish plants!" The plant slapped her and Mars actually squeaked. Professor Sprout must have heard and took pity on them because she came right over and repeated her demonstration for them. Alice hurried over to watch and when their professor finished her re-demonstration, they had a total of eleven beans between the three of them.

Pete and Dor earned Gryffindor house ten points each and the praise of their teacher; they harvested twenty-seven beans each! She assigned them a foot of parchment on the historical uses of the Sopophorous to be due on Friday. She didn't seem to notice the disheveled state of her sixth years as they trudged back up to the castle.

"That was exhausting! I always leave that class filthy and stinking!" Mars grumbled.

"Never complain, never explain Mars!" Dor chortled.

"That's your motto Dorcas Meadows, not mine. At least we didn't have to fertilize today! And it's good having it last. Imagine showing up for dinner looking like this! McGonagall would either be appalled or she'd break down and smile at us!"

"Not a chance Mars. She only smiles for me!" Sirius smiled, his eyes lighting up as they seemed to only ever do for Mars.

"Bollocks Star Boy! She's smiled for me too!"

Everyone practically ran to their dorm; showers were needed, they weren't kids anymore and being covered in earth was not acceptable. Dinner was mercifully uneventful and delicious. No news came on Mighty's wings so The Prophet must not have more bilge to feed its readers. Pete and Mary left early to finish setting up the telescopes for tonight's Astronomy class. Sirius left next to serve detention with McGonagall. Alice and Frank left soon after Sirius to grab a good table in the Library; Alice would remain there holding their table and studying when Frank left to run the prefect meeting. Then, he would return and they would remain there, in the library for the rest of the night. Frank would study for hours. He was a seventh year N.E.W.T. student and would practically live in the library this year. Mars and Dor left together but dragged Lily with them to inspect the Gryffindor equipment and organize James's new office, he was the Gryffindor Captain after all. Remus and James made their way through the castle back to Gryffindor tower; Remus to get his yet, unfinished prefects schedule and James to get his lucky pack.

"Hard to believe it's just day one." Remus moaned as he climbed the stairs.

"No kidding Moony. It has been a long day but not a bad one, just long. Pads and I nearly went down in Potions but you know Slughorn. He saved us pretending to visit. Sometimes I forget he's Head of Slytherin House. He's so nice."

"Ancient Runes was interesting. I thought I'd like it but I enjoyed it more than I expected to. You and Lily seem to be doing pretty well. No rows today?"

"We are Remus! She's not nearly as terrifying as she used to be. We called each other by our first names all day and she didn't shout at me once!"

"Well, I'm sure that not yelling at her to go out with you has probably helped bring out her softer side. You'll get your chance James as long as you keep your temper in check as well as your ego. Don't yell at her to go out with you and try to not show off!" Remus said eyeing James in a very McGonagall way as if it would be a lot of work for James to not show off in front of Lily. "I'd bet on it."

"Thanks Remus for pointing out all my mistakes with Lily in a single sentence! I am trying to be less of an 'arrogant-bullying-toe-rag'." James said in a remarkable imitation of Lily. "You and Dor seem to be hitting it off. Has she asked you out yet?"

"No. But she'll probably ask me before I ask her! She's so feisty and I like it! Should have finished this already." Remus said as he collected the bits of parchment that would become the next fort-night's prefect's duty schedule. "I need to do a bit of work before the meeting. It was my turn to schedule prefect rounds and I haven't quite finished. I would hate to go fetch Lily and not have this done; she'll scold me!"

"Better you than me! She's scolded me for years! I better take Mighty an offering; he was annoyed at me this morning; takes his deliveries very seriously, that bird! He reminds me of Lily sometimes but please don't tell her I said that. It's a good reminding, mind you, not a bad one."

Everyone was off doing what they were supposed to be doing and James had a blissful respite to walk to the Owlery. He took his time crossing the grounds. This time of year, it was still light out and the castle, snuggled in its outstanding campus, looked marvelous. He saw Hagrid going about his duties and watched owls fly to and from the Owlery. He could see the Quidditch pitch and he picked up his pace thinking that if he used his time well, he could get in a quick fly.

When he arrived at the Owlery, he gave Mighty his favorite treats straight away. The view from here was one of his favorites so he found himself a relatively clean spot to sit, pulled out his parchment note pad along with his ink pot and quill and recounted his day to his parents. He made mention that he was actually getting along with Lily, that Remus had his eyes on Dor, that Pete and Mary were thick as thieves and that Sirius and Mars were as keen for each other as ever. He finished with 'Lots of love, James.' Then he rolled his and Sirius notes up together and tied them to Mighty's leg. He stroked the great bird's beak and the bird nudged his face in return before taking off to make the trip to Potter Manor.

When he got to the pitch, he saw Dor and Mars landing after their fly. He looked up at the stands and found Lily and Remus already there and visiting. "Remus? What's the time?" He yelled.

"Quarter to seven James."

"Already? I'm late! I hate late! Time _is_ relative! All I did was write a note to mum and dad." Sirius was strolling onto the grassy pitch looking satisfied. "How was detention Pads?"

"Great. Minnie and I discussed the Potions assignment so it's in the bag."

"McGonagall helped you with our Potions assignment? While you were in detention?" Lily asked incredulously.

"She _is_ a teacher Flower so yes, we discussed it. You do recall that I am teacher's pet, right? It's, what teachers do you know, they help us learn. Besides, what would you know about what goes on in detention? It's not like you've ever been in one!"

"Well…I know but I guess it thought she'd have you writing lines. For example, 'I will not call Professor McGonagall, Minnie."

"What use would that be to anyone? I will always call her Minnie. Nothing in a detention would change that. It's a term of endearment Flower, not disrespect. I respect the hell out of McGonagall and she knows it! I think sometimes, she gives me detention just so we two can have a bit of a catch up. I enjoy spending time with her; she's brilliant! I've learned more in detention with her than some have in class. I'll always be her pet because I'll always be brilliant in Transfiguration and am humble enough to ask her for help! If I had detention with Slughorn I'd have asked him."

"Well I can hardly argue with that though that bit about humble is debatable. You're right though. What do I know about detentions anyway?" she said with a look on her face that clearly showed her opinion of helpful detentions. "Flower?"

"Flower. It's a term of endearment. Hopefully not premature of me to be so bold but it fits."

"Thank you, Sirius. It might take some getting used to but as far as terms of endearment go, it's very original!" Sirius raised his eyebrows as if to contradict her so she added, "I think it's swell." Then she actually smiled at him. It might have been a first.

"So, when's the first Hogsmeade weekend?" Sirius rubbed his palms together reminiscent of Slughorn and this too made Lily smile. He was nothing like she thought he'd be. She had missed a lot in five years. Everyone made their way over to them and huddled close both to hear and to stay warm. When the sun fell behind the Forbidden Forest it got chilly. James had his hands deep in the pockets of his trousers, Remus had his under his arms which were crossed. Mars and Dor pulled the hoods on their jumpers up and the all turned toward the castle where they could see candles now lighting every window and they would find fires blazing.

"Last weekend of September. We thought that would work best for Quidditch tryouts and…well…for everyone." She looked at Remus but only for a second and she looked away quickly.

"Lead on Marauders! We don't know where you are taking us." Dor gestured with her head as she kept her arms wrapped tightly around her torso. The wizards took the lead and they marched back up to the castle. They were led to the seventh floor to the corridor where Barnabas the Barmy's tapestry showed his failed attempt to teach Trolls ballet.

"So, we're to practice here, in the seventh-floor corridor? Well, there are no portraits so that's good. Ghosts avoid this corridor, do they? Peeves? Wannabe Death Eaters? What else ya got for us Marauders, Invisibility cloaks or better still Invisibility tents?"

"No need to be sarcastic Dor," said Remus," but I like the way you think. You could be a Marauder trainee."

"Thank you, Remus. I'd prefer to be a Minion." Dor smirked.

"I think that Prongs should have the honor Moony. What do you think?"

"I agree Pads. Take it away Prongs!"

James said not a word but paced back and forth in front of The Barmy's tapestry three times, obviously concentrating very hard on something. Everyone waited and the witches closely watched the tapestry. Then magic could be heard but it was happening behind them. They turned in unison to face the blank wall opposite and a highly polished door appeared in the wall.

"Ooo! Nice!" Dor said appreciatively.

James walked up to the door and turned the brass handle. The door opened and James bowed the witches in first. The door closed on its own and they looked around.

"Welcome to The Room of Requirement!" James, Sirius and Remus announced in unison.

"I've heard about this room. Isn't it also called The Come and Go Room? However, did you find it?" Dor said turning a full circle turn to take it all in.

"Just lucky I suppose." Remus supplied. "We were in a spot of bother with Filch and it just appeared. It's like the castle came to our rescue. It has never failed us. Don't know who else knows about it but we've never been caught in here nor have we ever caught anyone else. It's not always the same either. Seems to change to suit our needs! It's good, right?"

"It's good!" the witches chimed in unison while James, Sirius and Remus looked confidently at one another.

"Anyway, we should get started. Remus, what's the time?" asked James

"It's just seven. Also, before we start, there will be books just there, on everything we're here for. Take what you like. They don't come from the library, we've already checked."

"Alright, you first. Help us with Transfiguration. Please." Lily pleaded.

"As you've said the magic word Flower, James will do the explaining and Remus and I will demonstrate. Ask us whatever you like. It's nothing that we haven't asked each other or McGonagall already. Don't be shy! There's no room for timidity when you're trying to learn something!" Sirius said sagely.

James explained the theory of the cross-species switches and Lily listened intently. She had to remind herself, periodically to close her mouth as it kept opening of its own accord in an expression of awe. When he spoke about his best and favorite subject, he went into a mode Lily had never witnessed. He had so much self-confidence and he spoke with so much authority about this subject that Lily was spell-bound. He gesticulated, not in a wasteful way like out of nerves or habit but in a meaningful way that seemed to add to their understanding of what he was explaining. Sirius and Remus demonstrated every concept that James explained with an expertise and a composure that was very surprising. They knew exactly what they were doing and could've done all this in their sleep. The witches nodded in understanding or shared looks with each other that said they were actually getting all this on a new level.

After James's explanations were finished and all the demonstrations were as well, it was the witches turn to try to apply what they had just learned from these clever wizards. They practiced for quite some time and were tutored through any troublesome aspects. They worked in pairs with each wizard to get the full benefit of their unique point of view and they worked as a group. Time flew by and before anyone was really expecting it, their time here was up. It would not do to be caught out in the corridors after nine on their first day back so they reluctantly made to leave before they were all stopped at the door by James.

"So, Pads, is the coast clear?" He questioned Sirius.

Sirius turned his back on them and pulled what appeared to be, a very old piece of parchment from the inside pocket of his jumper. They couldn't see what he was looking at but they all three witches watched him intently just the same. He touched the parchment with his wand, said something so quietly that it was inaudible. Then he opened the parchment and lifted flaps and lowered them again. He took his time examining it and finally he refolded it, touched it once again with his wand and said something very quietly. Lily strained to hear him but she simply couldn't. He returned this old piece of parchment to the pocket in his jumper and said to James, "All clear."

They left the magical room and the door disappeared behind them.


	4. Chapter Four: NEWT'S

**Chapter Four: N.E.W.T.'s: Day Two**

"Have you ever seen a better day? Double Charms, Double Defense and Double Care of Magical Creatures! Awesome!" Dor chimed.

"We better crack on! I hate to be late for Flitwick; he hardly ever takes house points and rarely gives detentions for tardiness. That's all the reason I need not to take advantage, he's just so sweet!" Mary added.

Professor Flitwick was Head of Ravenclaw House and their only teacher of goblin ancestry. Goblins were very clever and had powerful magic of their own. He was a tiny little wizard with disproportionately huge magic. He'd been a champion duelist in his day and could be found in Dueling; A Modern Sport for the Modern Wizard and Who's Who in the Wizarding World. Maybe it was his goblin inheritance that made his magic so amazing but no one seemed to care. Professor Flitwick was nothing like the goblins at Gringott's, he was trusting to a fault, endlessly patient and tolerant of adolescent notions of fun. Regardless of the difficulty in a lesson, students always enjoyed Charms!

"Wandless and non-verbal magic are essential to advanced study!" Professor Flitwick began in his characteristically excitable but tiny voice perched from a top his desk. "N.E.W.T.'s will include both but we have two years to get it right! As you all know, use of non-verbal magic is often connected to championship dueling but it is useful in all areas of magic. There are many times when silent magic is not only desirable but necessary. As several of you plan to enter the Ministry as Aurors, this must be obvious, but even in non-confrontational situations silent magic is useful. For example, not waking your dorm mates with incantations at sunrise!" This received nods from everyone. "Or, keeping baby's asleep during nap time." Mars nodded appreciatively as she had two little brothers who were still at home. "And of course, surprises!" Professor Flitwick squeaked at this himself and rubbed his hands with his long fingers together. "All are situations where silent magic is desirable. We had an example of a silent surprise just after the Welcoming Feast; it was outstanding magic boys! And non-verbal too so ten points each to Gryffindor!" He squeaked again, nodding to the Marauders who were all siting together in the second row, behind their witches.

"Still, you've only been back for little more than a day so I think we will work our way there by getting reacquainted with the advanced magic you've already learned but might have forgotten over the summer holiday. Our goal for the week will be to produce the Patronus charm but for today, as a method for review, I had in mind a game, a competition of sorts, just to clear the cobwebs. You have been using Winguardium Leviosa for five years now and I thought we could start there. House points will be awarded for the following categories; fastest, highest and most selective levitations and of course, any cast wandlessly or non-verbally. Allow me to demonstrate selective levitation and then I think you will figure out the rest."

Professor Flitwick proceeded to first levitate all the students in the room. They were used to his occasionally unorthodox methods but that didn't mean that they enjoyed them any less. Then he levitated the Ravenclaws in the class above the rest and no one could fault him there. Then he lowered them all back to their seats and set them to work in pairs, floating himself among them to observe, demonstrate and award house points.

"That was great!" Lily commented joyfully. "I love Charms! Floating with Flitwick, what could be better?"

"I've always loved Charms!" announced Pete. "Seems like the only magic that comes easily to me."

"I agree Pete. It has always come easily to me as well. I love Potions too but Charms feels so much more like Magic and Flitwick is such a patient teacher I always feel like he could teach me anything." It was the first time Pete had ever come close to bragging about his magic and Lily, being new to this relationship with the Marauders, wanted to nurture a new phase of friendship with all of them. "Perhaps Charms compliments your art Pete. I've never seen anyone with artistic talent that rivals yours, wizard or Muggle. I've seen quite a lot of Muggle art Pete and your work could easily be on show. Have you ever thought about showing your drawings in a gallery?"

Pete looked genuinely taken aback by this compliment and looked at Lily with a gratitude she'd never seen before. "I haven't Lily but it's a thought. Thanks."

"Any time Pete." Lily answered smiling.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts people! Now that's magic so could we get a move on!" Alice said matter-of-factly as she eyed Pete and Lily much as Professor McGonagall would have done and she led the way to class. "Still, we earned us house points. Thanks Marauders!"

They were accustomed to never knowing what to expect in Defense Against the Dark Arts at the start of a year; they'd never had the same teacher twice so it was always a flutter. Professor Diggle was not waiting for them but a Patronus was. The students filed in and formed a semi-circle around it, it took the form of an Irish wolfhound and it spoke to them with an Irish accent, "Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts." Then it faded away as their new professor moved into the center of the room.

"I am Professor Diggle and that was my Patronus. Welcome to N.E.W.T. level Defense. Useful magic, the Patronus Charm. How many of you can produce a Patronus?" No hands rose. Professor Diggle's eyes lingered on James, Sirius and Remus but only for a moment. "How many of you have ever tried to produce one?" Some hands rose. "How many have seen one?" Every hand in the room went up and this made him smile. No chance catching this lot out. "This will be where we will start. Professor Flitwick wants to have you performing this charm without wands soon and it is a powerful defensive charm so he and I will be teaming up to help you learn it. Wands at the ready. The incantation is simple enough but it's the rest that can be a challenge. Everyone repeat after me, "Expecto Patronum"."

"Expecto Patronum!"

"Excellent. The primary function of a Patronus is to repel Dementors but that is not why we have started with it this year. It has a secondary function, to act as a messenger. This year Professor Dumbledore wants you to be able to send messages, in case you require assistance or back-up both here in the castle or from some other location like, Hogsmeade so, we first must be able to produce one. A talking Patronus is one of the marks of a highly skilled witch or wizard because it requires the ability of the caster to utterly focus their mind even if they are in peril."

"Excuse me Sir?"

"Yes. You must be Miss Evans."

"Yes sir. How likely is it that one of us will be in peril in the castle?"

"I was told that there was an attack on a student in the castle just last year so there is a likelihood that this could happen again."

"Of course. I see." Lily blushed from embarrassment as she recalled Mary's attack.

"Obviously we would hope that such a thing would never happen again and this magic might not have prevented last year's attack but it would have made it possible for the victim to call for help." Professor Diggle looked at Mary only fleetingly and Mary returned his look with appreciation for his concern. "This alone might make an attacker think twice, you see?" The whole class was hanging on his every word and they all nodded in agreement with the logic in his thinking.

"I intend for each of you to be able to call for help this year should you need to. It will also enable you to send private messages though I ask that you not abuse this and send someone messages of a non-urgent nature during classes. Showing off and interrupting a class will be frowned upon. So, shall we begin?"

And so, they did. By the end of the double period, half the class could produce a wisp of Patronus, and several were able to produce shields and Alice alone produced a fully formed Patronus in the form of a large Flemish Giant to great applause. No one else could match Alice's Patronus so that was their homework; to practice.

"That was such an interesting lesson! Alice your Patronus was so large it was almost frightening!"

"Excellent! No cuddly bunnies for me! She did have quite a set of incisors, didn't she!" Alice said with satisfaction.

"It's very difficult magic though. James?" Lily whispered to him alone. "Do you think we could practice in the Room of Requirement, casting the Patronus Charm? I felt so self-conscious in class with everyone there. What if I can't produce one?"

"Don't be silly Lily. Of course, you'll be able to produce a Patronus. You have rounds tonight, right?"

"I do. Remus and I are on duty from nine until midnight tonight and for the next two nights as well. I feel like if I wait that long I'll go backwards. Know what I mean? The lesson was so stimulating today, I would practice right now if I weren't starving!"

"Any time you have free, we can practice. I could take you to the inner edge of the Forbidden Forest. No one would see us there and you will be perfectly safe with me. I have been in loads of times."

"Really? I've been in there too but only with Professor Kettleburn and only during class. I thought it was forbidden?"

"Of course, it's forbidden Lily, that's part of why I had to go in there; curiosity is one of my mixed blessings."

"I see. Well…we have Care of Magical Creatures this afternoon and then I will be free until rounds. What did the rest of you decide to take, Muggle Studies?"  
"Naw. I think Mary made a good point. It's not about plugs, it's about kindness and compassion."

"She didn't say that though."

"She didn't but I think it's what she meant. To see Muggles as people who just live a different way to us. I don't think I need to take a class to do that. And, if I step wrong, I have you to right me."

"So then, what are you taking?"

"Care of Magical Creatures with you, of course." He gave Lily one of those looks that she was beginning to think he reserved for only her and she actually swooned.

They trooped down to meet Professor Kettleburn at the edge of the forest, close enough to Hagrid's cabin that they could hear him whistling. Professor Kettleburn had taught Hogwarts students for decades and he had the injuries to prove it, but Lily had always liked him. He had unusually green eyes too and Lily always thought that gave them something in common. He was still a powerfully built wizard though his hair was white now and he had scars on every visible patch of skin. He dressed in clothes that were meant to protect him so not elegant like the other professors but practical. He was rumored to have worked with Newt Scamander in his day and could be found in Who's Who.

"Welcome back!" he whispered. "Follow me and I will introduce you to the subject of your first lesson." They marched for about twenty minutes until they came to one of the largest and oldest trees within the forest. He took the roster with him and confirmed the student's presence in route. He always spoke in a very soft voice that Lily thought he had learned to use in his work as a magizoologist.

"If you look right up there you will see a large nest." Kettleburn pointed. Heads tilted to look up into the giant old tree and sure enough there was a nest there but it was no ordinary nest, it was huge!"  
"Professor?" Lily asked betraying her alarm, "What lives up there?"

"That, Miss Evans is a Fwooper nest; the only one in Briton and we have a mating pair up there. They originate in Africa but, I had a friend there who traded me for, well…let's just say, it was a good trade. Can anyone tell me anything about Fwoopers?" Much to Lily's surprise, James raised his hand.

"Mr. Potter?"

"Fwoopers are mostly known for driving wizards mad with their call but we also use their feathers in fancy quills. My dad has one that he actually received without injury or so he says, years ago on a trip with mum to Africa. The feathers in his quill are both pink and green which he claims is rare combination to be seen together in a single feather."

"Ten points to Gryffindor. Excellent answer Mr. Potter. Now this pair of birds have lived here their whole lives, I got them when they were eggs so they know me as mum. If you would all sit somewhere and be very quiet, I'll call them down."

"Did he say sit?" Sirius asked Mars, his grey eyes, their color change, betraying his alarm.

"He did. You're brave Star Boy and if you get scared, I'll be right here." Mars whispered affectionately.

"Sir?"

"Yes Mr. Potter?"  
"Did you get these two from Newt Scamander?"

"Well yes, I did actually. What makes you ask?"

"My parents knew him a long time ago, obviously, but they said he was a genius."

"They were correct Mr. Potter. Mr. Scamander was a genius, he wrote one of our reference books, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them; do you know it?"

"I do sir."

"Any other questions before I call them?"

So, the rumors were true. Professor Kettleburn had worked with Newt Scamander. Scamander was a bit of a legend in the wizarding world and every one of them had read Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. No one said a word while Professor Kettleburn made a strange noise and then he waited and watched, his head tilted up at a steep angle eyeing the nest. The same noise returned to him from the nest, high in the tree. He made a different noise but if sounded like it came from the same part of his vocal chords and then Lily heard Mars shriek and point.

"Real brave Mars!" Sirius whispered, nudging her with his shoulder.

"There you are!" Kettleburn smiled up at the magic birds. "Come down I have some friends I want you to meet. Don't be shy."

High in the nest in the tree, a pair of heads were looking down at the circle of students on the ground; one of them was pink and the other was green. The birds were very large because Lily could see their eyes from all the way down here. Then as silently as an owl they took flight and soared down from their nest in a spiral that encircled their tree. They landed near to the Professor and gave his elbows a head nudge.

"This pair will not make us go mad because they have agreed not to. It's their call that drives wizards mad but unless they are threatened, they are very docile and sweet. Just let them come to you and if you are seated they won't feel threatened. Don't worry, its only their call that is dangerous." The students looked alarmed at the idea of being seated on the ground while these large birds came to investigate them but complied with their Professor. Lily felt certain that they could carry a first-year up to their nest if they were so inclined or Dor or Alice, for that matter. "Take out a quill and some parchment. Mr. Pettigrew?" He looked around the students before he spotted Pete. "If you would like to sketch them they will permit it. They will come to you if they feel so inclined. I might as well say now that your homework for Friday will be to read and summarize Newt's extended writings on the Fwooper and then research them in any other source you can find. A foot of parchment should do. The pink bird is the male as you might have guessed due to his smaller size."

The rest of the lesson was amazing. The Fwooper's were as interested in the students as they were in the birds. The male was mostly pink but they were highlighted green feathers and the female had orange and yellow. Each had eyes that exactly matched one of the colors of their feathers, the males were green and the females were orange. After more than an hour Professor Kettleburn said good-bye to his birds and the class reluctantly left them in their forest nest and trooped back up to the castle for dinner.

"That was way better than any Muggle Studies lesson could ever be!" Dor blurted as they piled on to the benches in the Great Hall.

"It was! What awesome birds! Too bad they don't deliver mail or I'd have one by now." Mars announced.

"Kettleburn did say they only didn't make him go mad was because he got them as eggs and now he's mum, Mars. They are XXX so I doubt your father would have permitted it. Besides, Persephone would not approve." said Sirius matter-of-factly.

"No, she wouldn't and I love her. I'd never replace her, still, can you imagine the looks on people's faces if one of those beauties delivered my mail." Mars smiled in a self-satisfied way and winked at Sirius.

"James?"

"Yes Lily?"

"Your parents knew Newt Scamander?" she asked.

"They did. He was on a relocation mission my dad funded so they got to know each other. They've always been about conservation and education, my parents, so… right up their alley. It was long ago, well before I was born but dad has pictures of their trip and Newt is in some. As a lad, I read everything I could get my hands on, he was one of my hero's and I even used to pretend to be him when I played in our forest with Wik or Mars. Imagined I was with my Swooping Evil side kick named Cinnistar, searching for the rare and undiscovered creatures of my imagination."

"I wish I'd known that I'm a witch when I was a kid." Lily said wistfully.

"Wanna do some practicing after dinner?" James whispered hopefully across the table. He mostly just mouthed the words but Lily heard him all the same so she nodded him her answer. Everyone seemed to have somewhere to be after dinner. Mary and Pete joined Frank and Alice in the library. Dor and Mars went to the Quidditch pitch to work on the equipment so Remus and Sirius tagged along. Lily would be alone with James for the first time and she was nervous. He took her to a disused classroom on the fifth floor. It had great windows that looked out over the pitch and the forest. It was still light enough out so the room was fairly well lit.

"I thought you might be more at ease here rather than in the forest. So, Lily, I have a confession."

"What's that James?"  
"I can produce a Patronus. Dad taught me summer before last."

"Oh! Well then, why didn't you produce it during class?"  
"Honestly?"

"Yes. Honestly."

"I didn't want you to think I was showing off."

"Oh. Well, you wouldn't have been showing off. You'd be complying with a teacher's request. Besides, you'd never have made a very convincing show-off if you didn't have talent. You've always been top of the class in Transfiguration James. I just … well, you used to annoy me. You're so good at everything and I dunno, you were just really annoying. At least that was why I would always yell at you; you annoyed me. You don't annoy me now though so … I'm sorry, for yelling at you all the time. Now I think about it, I probably annoyed you as well."

"Nah. You never annoyed me. You confused me. Thank you, for the apology but honestly Lily, if you were around to see it, then I was showing off. You need not apologize to me."  
"Oh. Well I a feel I should. Besides, you confused me too if we're being honest." She colored from somewhere on her chest all the way up. She'd said too much. _Did he notice?_ Surely not but she'd noticed that James was a keen observer and never seemed to miss a thing so sadly he probably did. Now she thought about it, how could he miss it being as pale as she was? She was feeling those feelings again; the ones he invariably caused. Proximity to James always unsettled her and they were alone so it seemed much more pronounced. There was no way to distract herself from those feelings, she couldn't yell at him and run off in a tiff; they were passed that. Now though, they were different to before. Before these feelings unnerved her, they also scared her a bit, even now. But now she wasn't so much scared as she was terrified and curious in equal measure but in a strangely pleasant way. She desperately needed a distraction so she drew the attention back on to him. "Still, you are best in transfiguration. I suppose you weren't always showing off." Her mind was racing. _He'd been showing off and he admitted it was because of her._ Her face was feeling hot and she instinctively touched it with her hands; he'd notice that too. She remembered her row with Sev when he blabbed, 'He fancies you! Potter fancies you!'

"So, do you want to see him? My Patronus, I mean."

"What? Oh, yes. Please. I'd love to see him."

James closed his eyes and Lily was grateful. " _He fancies, you!"_ She couldn't get Sev's words out of her mind. Then he tilted his head just a little as if communing with his wand, he had a peaceful expression while he performed the wand movement and then he whispered the incantation. Lily observed white light pour from his wand and shape itself into huge stag. James opened his eyes and looked up at his Patronus and smiled. Then he nodded to it and looked at Lily. The stag Patronus walked over to Lily, it circled her with its antlers high; it was a proud and powerful Patronus. Lily reached her hand out to touch it even though she knew it was pure energy; she couldn't seem to help herself. It looked right at her with James's eyes, bowed its head and then it looked back at James. Still smiling, James and Lily watched it fade slowly away.

"No wonder you didn't want to conjure him in class! Who could possibly follow that? He's magnificent!" Lily whispered, and her face grew hotter still, if that was possible. "I can see why you'd think that I'd think you were showing off."

"Mum and dad use theirs to send each other messages all the time; bit annoying really. They wanted me to be able to do the same, to contact them from any distance as parents will so, dad taught me." His hand went to his hair and he licked his lips. "Anyway, I like him."

"I bet you do. Show me the wand movement, will you."

"Of course, but it can vary a bit with the witch or wizard. You have to feel your way through it. Your magic will guide your hand better than I can." James showed Lily the motion he used and she copied him. "That's exactly right Lily. Now, you have to find a thought or a memory that fills you with joy just like Diggle told us in class and then just speak the incantation."

James watched her face as she plumbed her memories, searching for the most powerfully joyful one she had. Her eyes were closed but he could see them searching beneath their lids. Then he saw her face settle on a choice, her body relaxed and she smiled. "You've chosen one?"

"I have." Her eyes were still closed and she allowed the magic to flow through her to her wand, she spoke the incantation softly. James saw her Patronus before she did; she still had her eyes closed.

"Lily?" James whispered. "She's here. You better take a look."

Lily opened her eyes and her mouth formed a perfect O. Her Patronus was a doe. How was this possible? Moreover, what on earth did it mean? She colored again from her chest to the top of her head. A doe! She looked at James for an explanation and his mouth was in a perfect O as well. Her Patronus walked right up to him and then looked back at her as if asking a question. She smiled nervously at the doe. She watched as the light animal walked around James, just as his had around her. Then she slowly faded away.

"Well…I'm glad we did that privately!" Lily's warm and colored face still looking at James. Her voice sounded funny to her, higher than normal and slightly shaky.

"Me too." His voice didn't sound normal to her either. For some unknown amount of time, neither of them spoke. They were both taken aback by their Patronuses and neither seemed able to think of anything to say after such an unexpected and rather momentous revelation. James's hands went from his hair to his pockets and he left them there, hidden from her view. She wished she had pockets. But they both summoned the courage to at least look at each other, briefly. Then Lily exhaled. She'd been holding her breath and hearing Lily, James exhaled too.

"Wanna try to conjure them again? At the same time?" James asked lightly, hoping to diffuse the tension between them.

"Yes." Lily whispered her answer. She did want to see them again. She wanted to see them together. James moved to stand right next to her. He was close enough for her to feel his body heat, to catch his scent.

"So, just after three?"  
"Just after three. You count." They both took a breath, their eyes closed and exhaled slowly and simultaneously.

James whispered the count, "One…two…three."

Their wands moved together, nearly as mirror images and they whispered the incantation because just now felt like a very private moment that demanded whispering. Their Patronuses formed directly in front of them also side by side. James and Lily opened their eyes to their Patronuses but rather than look to their conjurors, they looked at each other. They circled each other, heads high, looking only to the other. Then they walked around James and Lily enclosing them in a circle, Lily's on the inside and James's on the outside. They returned to their original places and then looked up at their respective owner, bowed their graceful heads and vanished.

Lily needed to sit down but didn't trust herself to find a chair so she sat right where she was, cross-legged on the floor. James copied and sat facing her. There really was no escaping this moment. Lily gave in, she'd wanted to give in for so long and looked into his hazel eyes, really looked long and without hesitation or reserve. Her guard was down. James didn't ever seem to have his guard up either but then again, he never did. But he looked at her very differently now as if he'd waited for this moment all his life. She openly examined his face while he examined hers. Then, bravely she looked again into his eyes. He did not look away either but openly allowed this as if this moment was not only desired but inevitable. He looked at her face as well. Secretly she had longed for a moment like this. He was beautiful and she realized that she could look at him forever. This face was the face she preferred above all others. They did not speak and this was good as Lily didn't think she could find her voice.

"Oy! What are you two doing in there?" Dor bellowed from the corridor. The moment ended as they were about to be joined by Dor, Remus, Mars and Sirius.

"Hello? Are you two in there?" Sirius asked as if to give them time to collect themselves. Lily was grateful for this and reigned her emotions in.

James spoke first. "Yea, we are. We were just practicing." His voice still not quite normal to her ears.

"Practicing what?" Sirius asked as he noted their locations on the floor. He probably also noted the sound of James voice and the flush coloring Lily's face. He was too observant, but said nothing that would actually embarrass them.

"Patronuses." Lily managed to say.

"So, how'd it, go?" Mars asked.

James looked to Lily as if deferring to her answer so, she answered. "It's still early days but I think I have the right idea now."

"Lily, we have rounds in half an hour so I'll meet you in the prefect's office. C'mon guys." Remus said pointedly.

"Where are we going Remus?" Sirius asked.

"Somewhere else Sirius. Just somewhere else, K?"

"Right. C'mon Mars. I'll race you to the common room!"

"Remus? I'll see you there. Thirty minutes." Lily managed in reply.

"See you then Lily." They left the two alone again and Lily was the first to speak.

"Thank you, James. I'd like to keep this to ourselves for now if that's OK with you?"

"Of course, Lily. I would like that too. You know that they will make a fuss about them, our Patronuses, I mean."

"Exactly. I'm not even sure I wanted you to see that but if it had to be someone, it's probably best it was you. At least we were alone. I don't look forward us conjuring them in front of the class, we'll, never hear then end of it."

"I know. You could pretend to struggle like I did."

"Good idea. I will try." Lily started to giggle and all the chemicals in her blood stream seemed to move again and the paralysis she'd felt was dissipating. She moved to her knees and James did the same as they rose to stand.

"I won't tell anyone Lily. I promise."

"Thank you, James. I think I just need some time to wrap my head around it, that's all." Lily answered honestly as there was no point in trying to be coy.

"Me too. It will be our first secret."

"Yes. Our first secret. Still, it's good to know she's there in a pinch, right? In case I ever need her, I feel sure that she will find you."

"I'm sure she will. Mine too. Wow! They are something though, aren't they?"  
"They certainly are James." They left the disused classroom, walking side by side and James gravitated to walk as close to Lily as he could without actually touching her; she welcomed it. They made their way to the seventh floor in silence.

Unknown to both of them they were observed by the one person who could fully appreciate the significance of their walking close to each other, side by side, from a disused classroom and their observer cringed and gripped his wand though it remained in the pocket of his robes.


	5. Chapter Five: Prefect Rounds

**Chapter Five: Prefect Rounds**

"Our first rounds Remus! I hope we catch someone snogging in a broom cupboard!"

"Me too. That Lockhart kid from Ravenclaw would be fun to nab! What a nob! Did you hear he cast a likeness of himself into the sky like the Dark Mark? I've no idea how he managed Ravenclaw, no brains at all that one. Attention-loving prat! As he loves the look of his own reflection, if we nab him snogging, it will probably be with a mirror! Caught the attention of that Rita Skeeter cow though: writes gossip section in The Daily Prophet. Flitwick was actually furious, if you can imagine that, took twenty points from his own house! So, you and James worked on the Patronus Charm? No luck?" Remus asked a bit to casually.

"Not so far but James helped with the theory." Lily hated lying to Remus but she just couldn't bring herself to share that moment yet. It was private, not secret and it was between her and James. She liked the idea that she and James shared something privately and was not about to share it with anyone else, not even Remus. "I just need to practice and I'd rather do it in private. I know it sounds conceited but I'll feel stupid if I can't produce one in front of the whole class. You?"

"We didn't try. We were flying and before you tease me Lily, I can fly. Just not up to Quidditch level so it was just for fun. Dor got a kick out of me though so it was alright."

"Just alright? Well, you can't fool me Remus. You loved it and I think she fancies you." Not wanting to totally embarrass her friend she switched tracks. "Check out my new toy." Lily fumbled in her bag and pulled out a new quill. "It's a quick-quotes quill. I think we should start training it." Lily took parchment out of her bag and charmed it to float along with them as they walked and then did the same to the quill. "Supposedly they have a magic memory of stupid quotes but the wizard in Diagon Alley who sold it promised it will also take dictation. Swore that if it didn't I could return it so whatdayasay? Shall we give it a try? We can revise our common assignments together, study out loud, quiz each other."

"Very keen this year, aren't you?"

"I 'pose I am." Quill training began and it was rather fun. Lily charmed it to write each of their responses in their own hand and chose different colors for each so it documented their revision as it happened. Time passed easily as they were comfortable with one another. They had the pleasure of catching a couple of fourth years in the broom cupboard on the third floor and enjoyed taking points from them. "In a broom cupboard? It doesn't seem like a very romantic spot to me." Lily said while frowning.

"I don't think they were much interested in romance Lily. More randy than romantic by the look of them! His shirt was on backward and did you note her hair? Besides, they're fourth-years remember. Fourth-years are idiots. Just remember us fourth year. Remember James?"

Lily nodded, remembering James in their fourth year. "He was an idiot."

"We all were Lily. You're not excluded from the idiots. I can hear you now, in my head …"

"Please don't, Remus. I was an idiot. That's quite enough about fourth year."

They passed other patrolling prefects and shared the details of who did what, where, when and with whom. Apparently broom cupboards all around the school were frequented by hormonal witches and wizards. It was nearing half eleven and they'd done the whole castle, twice.

"One more sweep through the dungeon corridors and then I think we can call it a night. Pretty boring really." Remus suggested with a shrug.

The dungeon corridors still seemed quiet. They were just finishing the last corridor when the quiet came to an end. Rounding a corner, they came upon a horrific sight. Breaking Lily's forward movement, Remus pulled her back. _Had they been seen?_ What they glimpsed before retreating was a figure lying on the floor surrounded by four cloaked wizards who had their hoods up. But they could hear nothing. _Who walked around inside school this time of year with their hoods up?_ Lily cast a Sonorus charm down the corridor so they could listen; they might recognize a voice.

"You're a filthy little Mudblood! You were warned last year. You don't belong here!"

Remus conjured his Patronus and spoke to it. "Help now! Slytherin dungeon corridor!" He whispered urgently and his Patronus, a wolf, sped off and disappeared up the stone stairway. Lily looked like she was about to question him but Remus put a finger to his lips, silently shaking his head, shushing her and she obeyed.

Within seconds another Patronus appeared and James's stag whispered with equal urgency, "On our way! Wait!" As they were in an alarming situation already there was no need for Lily to feign surprise at seeing James's stag. They waited and listened as the voices belonging to the hooded wizards rose in argument.

"We need to go Mulcibur! Now! We can't be found here!" Severus Snape commanded.

Lily's eyes flashed and before Remus could stop her she broke cover and bolted around the corner and down the corridor toward the voice of Snape, wand at the ready.

"YOU!" Lily bellowed as she cast a shield charm to surround the person lying on the floor and charged toward Snape. Her shield nocked the wizards back and one hood fell away to reveal Regulus Black who looked horrified to be found out and somewhat terrified of what he was a part of. Spells flew toward Lily and she could hear Snape scream, "Don't hurt her or this will only get worse! You'll answer to me!"

Next thing Lily noted were spells flying toward the attackers from behind her so she kept running to aid of the fallen student. She saw James, Sirius and Remus run past her in pursuit of the Slytherins who fled down the passage. Lily dropped to her knees and slid the rest of the way. She found a silenced Mary McDonald lying in a pool of her own blood, limbs askew, face frozen in a terrified scream that couldn't be heard. Mary looked at her but did not seem to know her and this frightened Lily even more. She looked over Mary's body for injuries and noted the odd directionality of her limbs and searched desperately for the source of all the blood pooling on the stone floor. Dread and panic flooded Lily. The only thing she could think to do was call for help. Instinctively, she cast her doe and yelled to it.

"HELP! Dumbledore, we need you! NOW" and her Patronus zoomed back up the corridor hopefully to the Headmaster. Just after her Patronus disappeared, James, Sirius and Remus reappeared sliding in to break their forward momentum looking down at Lily and Mary, horrified.

"Oh no!" James gasped.

"Not again! For God's sake!" Sirius yelled.

"How is she Lily?" asked Remus.

"I don't know. She doesn't recognize me and I can't find the source of the all this blood!"

"Flower? Let us look, eh? Just let us see. Oh yes, there it is. We need to put pressure there."

James tore his jumper off and applied pressure to her wound. "Use this and keep the pressure on Lily. It will hurt her but we have to slow her bleeding." Lily followed his instructions without question and covered Mary's open wound. _If only Mars was here she would know what to do_. Then she saw that Remus had followed James's example and torn the sleeves off his own shirt and tied them together with Sirius's. When it was long enough, Lily wrapped this makeshift bandage around Mary's torso as best she could. Their hands were slick from blood but steady.

"I think you can lift her now."

James, Sirius and Remus lifted Mary as gently as they could. Then, Remus assumed her whole weight easily as Sirius walked up the corridor to see that the way was clear. James reached a hand down to Lily to lift her off the floor but their hands, covered in Mary's blood slipped and Lily went back down hard. Then he bent over her and lifted her whole body off the floor and set her on her feet but held on.

"You OK, Lily?" James asked as he lessened his hold on her but did not let go and Lily tested her balance.

"I'm good James. Thanks."

He placed his arm around her shoulder supporting her all the same as they turned to follow Sirius, Remus and Mary back up to the rest of the castle. On the stone stairs that led up from the dungeons to the first floor they met Dumbledore on his way down to them. He sent his own Patronus, a phoenix, off to message someone. Lily assumed it was on its way to Madam Pomfrey.

"Mr. Black, I will lead. You take up the rear with Mr. Potter." Sirius fell back without question and they all jogged to keep up with their Headmaster.

When they entered the hospital, Dumbledore called for Madam Pomfrey. "Poppy! There's been an attack!"

Madam Pomfrey appeared, coming from her office, bag in hand and took control but her face blanched when she saw who it was.

"Place her here please." Remus laid Mary on a bed as instructed and then stepped back while Madam Pomfrey went to work. Noting he was staring, Remus looked away and quietly pulled the curtain for their healer as he knew she'd have done anyway, then returned to Dumbledore.

Professor McGonagall burst into the room assessing the situation instantly. She joined her students and Dumbledore then asked, "Albus? What's happened? Who is it?"

"Miss McDonald, Minerva." McGonagall's face paled and she clutched her chest.

"Surely not again!" she whispered furiously.

"It was Mulcibur, Professor. Mulcibur, Snape and Regulus Black. I didn't see the fourth person." Lily offered.

"It was Avery, Professor. We gave chase but they beat us to their common room. I saw his face though so I am certain." added James.

Their Head of House looked at each of them accessing their injuries. "Are any of you seriously injured?"

"Nah. Just the normal dueling bumps and bruises." Sirius offered.

"Still, you will wait here until Madam Pomfrey can examine you. Take a seat." She led them to a couple of other beds and they sat.

"We really are fine Minnie." Sirius argued.

"I'll have none of that now Mr. Black. You will wait to be examined by Madam Pomfrey. Am I understood?"

"Understood." They chorused.

"Minerva, I must see Horace. He'll need to know immediately if he doesn't already and then we will meet in my office as soon as possible."

"As you say. I'll see these four to Gryffindor Tower and meet you directly."

"Professor Dumbledore, Mary, she's Muggle-born, Sir. And this is the second attack she's suffered. The second." Lily whispered fearfully.

"It is Miss Evans and I will get to the bottom of it. They will be punished, I assure you. Do let our healer tend to you before you leave." He said and he looked at each of them in turn. "Don't go anywhere in the castle on your own, and once you are back in your common room, I insist that you stay there until morning."

"Yes Sir."

Dumbledore left the hospital just as Madam Pomfrey emerged from behind Mary's curtained bed. She gave them all an appraising look. "Something for shock, I think and I'll just clean and heal those wounds. They are quite superficial. It will only take a moment." She cleaned and healed all their injuries and she watched as thet drank the potion for shock.

"Madam Pomfrey?"

"Yes, Miss Evans?"

"About Mary? Will she be alright?"

"I have given her a potion for dreamless sleep. You won't be able to speak to her until late tomorrow. I have called for Mediwizards from St. Mungo's and the Headmaster will see her first but after that you may be allowed a short visit. Minerva, you may escort them all to Gryffindor tower now. It should take no more than half an hour for the Potion to take effect. Long enough to get back to your common room. There's nothing more to be done tonight so I recommend sleep. Off you go."

"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey," they chorused.

"You are most welcome."

It was well past one in the morning by the time they were safely ensconced in their common room. Upon their arrival through the portrait hole, Pete came rushing toward them as they crossed the threshold but stopped in his tracks at the sight of their Head of House.

"One moment Mr. Pettigrew." She raised her hand, palm facing Pete to stop him from rushing in and then addressed the four quietly. "You must all stay here tonight. Give me your word that you will not leave the tower until morning."

"Our word." James spoke for everyone and they all nodded their agreement.

"You did very well tonight. I am proud of all of you." She nodded to them as she departed.

"Where the bloody hell have you been? Where's Mary?" Pete yelled as he rushed toward them now.

"Pete, there was an attack tonight. Mary is in hospital." James offered as gently but directly as he could. Pete's shoulders sagged under the weight of these words but managed to keep his feet so, James continued. "Madam Pomfrey called St. Mungo's, gave her a sleeping draft and she won't be allowed visitors until after Dumbledore's seen her, if then."

"Who was it?" spat Pete.

"Slytherins, of course; Mulcibur, Avery, Snape and Regulus. They had her down in the dungeon corridors. She'd been silenced so I we hadn't done that last check, we'd have never known." Remus said with deliberate calm noting Pete's level of stress.

"Again? What was she doing down there, in the first place? She went to bed. We all did … we went to bed. I only woke because Mars came 'round banging on our door." Pete started pacing and wringing his hands, his eyes, fearfully alarmed.

"Pete? Why don't you sit and tell us everything you remember about the evening, starting from dinner?" said James.

"Astronomy was cancelled due to late cloud cover so we joined Alice and Frank in the library. We left just before curfew and came straight here. Hung around the common room until half ten or there about. Mary went up first, then the girls followed. I waited for you lot but fell asleep on the sofa. I woke some time later and went up too but none of you were there. I waited, dosed off again until Mars woke me. We all came down to find you but when you didn't show, the girls went back up and I was left alone in the common room so, I managed to sneak out and did a little … _snooping_ because I didn't have the … you know … well, I had no way to know where you were! Finally, I gave up too and came back here to wait. Lily, you better go tell them you're alright." Pete said nodding to the stairs. "Is Mary going to be OK?" Pete pleaded.

"Madam Pomfrey didn't say but as she called St. Mungo's she's in the very best of care." Remus added, hoping the arrival of Mediwizards wouldn't raise questions about Mary's state that they couldn't answer. Their being summoned wasn't a good sign.

"Thank you for your help tonight." Lily said looking at James first, then Sirius. "I'm going up. That potion is kicking in. What a horrible day! We'll know more in the morning Pete so try not to worry." She reached out a consoling hand and touched Pete on the shoulder before turning toward the stairway to her dorm and her roommates.

"Nice Patronus Flower." Sirius added as she climbed the stairs and she smiled a bit thought only to herself.

"Thanks." She called back down.

The morning after Mary's attack the Great Hall was rife with speculation. Slytherin House points was down by four hundred while Gryffindor was up by the same. When the Gryffindors entered the Great Hall, they received wildly raucous applause from from their own house as well as respectable acknowledgement from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. They also received hisses and boos from Slytherin which was to be expected. Mulcibur, Avery, Snape and Regulus were absent from their table as was Mary from her own. High Table was complete and Professor McGonagall gave them the briefest of nods as they entered. Professors Dumbledore, Slughorn and Diggle were deep in conversation, heads low to keep eves droppers out of their conversation.

"I think we need some RoR time; tonight, after curfew." said Sirius.

Lily looked scandalized. She was a prefect and expected to enforce curfew, not break it.

James raised a calming hand. "We can make sure that no one knows Lily. You will be perfectly safe; you have my word."

"How can you make such a guarantee James, especially after last night?"

"I just can. We have to trust each other Lily. You will have to trust me."

Lily looked into his eyes, she found sincerity and certainty there but she didn't say anything. After yesterday, sharing their Patronuses, she found that she did believe him but it was such a departure from years past, she thought it might seem too much for the others to believe. It was almost too much for her to believe! So much had changed so quickly, it was dizzying. Not wanting to encourage questions and not knowing what to say, she nodded but said nothing.

"After rounds. We'll meet on the seventh floor. He's right Lily. We have to trust each other." Remus added.

They went straight to the hospital after breakfast. Madam Pomfrey frowned at the nine Gryffindors as they came in. "You can have ten minutes and not a moment more. Go on in, she's awake."

Mary was awake and sitting up though looking very pale and careworn. Pete led the way and didn't miss a beat to get to her bedside first. He took her hand and sat there, looking her over, speechless and his expression mirrored Mary's.

"How are you feeling?" Lily asked

"Sore, tired, angry and confused. I hardly remember a thing. All I know is that this time, it was worse. They've gotten better."

"What did Dumbledore have to say?" James asked.

"He told me he suspended them for seven days and said that he'd be back after lunch today to help me remember. I don't really want to remember but if Dumbledore thinks it will help and if he helps me then, I suppose it's for the greater good. Thank you, so much. All of you. Dumbledore told me what you did. I shudder to think what might have happened if you hadn't found me."

"No problem. It's, what friends do." Sirius added in his most gentle voice.

"Your injuries? How are they?" Mars asked.

"I'm on pain killing Potions so they don't hurt that bad right now but I think Madam Pomfrey called for St. Mungo's. I remember being examined by a pack of strangers but the memory's vague. Next thing I remember was Dumbledore arriving sometime this morning."

"Pomfrey did call St. Mungo's. Can you remember any of last night Mary, before the attack?" Remus asked.  
"Not really. Bits and pieces. I remember we were in the library. Astronomy was cancelled so Pete and I agreed to start the rest of our homework."

"Do you remember seeing anyone from Slytherin there?" James asked.

"No. I do remember seeing Regulus on our way back to the common room."

Sirius visibly grizzled hearing this but remained quiet, waiting to hear what Mary had to say.

"He didn't approach me or say anything but he did look at me. Come to think of it, he looked just at me, no one else. Then he just turned away and left. We got to the common room and stayed there finishing up until … when did I go up Pete?"

"Half ten."

"My memory of the common room is fuzzy and I have no idea how I got to the dungeon corridor." She looked confused. She was trying very hard to recall last night but she only had pieces of it and they were disjointed and foggy.

"Mary, never mind. Just rest. Dumbledore will be back and if anyone can help you reconstruct your memories of last night, it'll be Dumbledore." Mars spoke with the certainty and calmness of a Healer.

"We'll get all your work and be back later to see you. I am so glad you are still with us Mary!" Dor said.

"Me too Dor, me too."

After seeing Mary, they went to Dumbledore's office to give him their account of last night. "Licorice Wands." Remus said to the stone gargoyle guarding the Headmasters home. They rode the revolving stairs up to the polished oak doors with the brass knocker and knocked. The door opened of its own accord and they followed James in.

"Welcome. Please, have a seat." Dumbledore indicated the chair opposite him at his desk as three more appeared. They sat and waited for the Headmaster to invite them to speak.

"That was quite some Patronus last night, Miss Evans. How long have you had that ability?"

"It's very recent Sir and that was the first time I have ever tried to send a message so I was very surprised, to say the least. I didn't even think about what I was doing, I just did the first thing that came to mind."

"Much of our most powerful magic is the result of not thinking Miss Evans. You did well last night, all of you. I think we should start with our prefects and then you two can jump in when you entered into this whole mess. Mr. Lupin, why don't you give me your account."

"Yes Sir. Lily and I were into the last hour of rounds and decided to do one last sweep of the dungeon corridors and work our back way up. Not much had happened all night, a few snoggers but nothing more serious. The dungeon corridors were quiet at first and then when we got to the last one before heading back up, we saw five people at the end of Slytherin's corridor; one was on the ground and the others were standing around with their cloaks on and their hoods up. Lily and I saw them at about the same time just as we rounded the corner but they did not see us. So, I grabbed Lily and pulled her back out of their line of sight and then I called for James and Sirius."

"With your Patronus?"

"Yes Sir. Lily cast a Sonorus charm so we could hear what was going on. We heard Mulcibur first threatening Mary and then we heard Snape. He was trying to get them all back to the Slytherin common room before they were caught. As soon as Lily heard Snape, she bolted from cover before I could stop her and she charged down the corridor, toward them and their victim. Only moments after she left, James and Sirius showed up and we three followed Lily. She stopped at the victim on the floor while we gave chase. I don't know what happened to Lily then because we were running past her. I could plainly see Regulus because his hood had fallen from his face. To be candid, he looked horrified, very like an unwilling party to the attack. We chased them as far as the Slytherin common room but they managed to enter before we could stop them. We fired disarming spells on the run and they returned fire. Spells I've never heard of. Snape yelled something like Septum Sempra or Sectum Sempra. Truthfully, I was focusing on disarming them more than I was listening to what spells they sent our way. Sirius winged one of them just before they slipped inside their common room and I think that James's spell hit Snape but then they were safely in their own common room so I know no more about any injuries we may've inflicted. Then we hurried back to Lily and found her on the floor with Mary, covered in blood and trying to find its source. I think that's when Lily called for your help. Anyway, we controlled the bleeding and then lifted her up and were on our way to Hospital when we met you on the stairs."

No one else spoke while Remus recounted the events he remembered them and Dumbledore only interrupted the one time.

"Miss Evans?"

"Remus's retelling is accurate Sir. I would add that I noticed the person on the floor was wearing a Gryffindor uniform and as soon as I heard Snape say Mulcibur's name I proceeded under the assumption that an attack was in progress. Somehow, I just knew it was Mary. I cast a shield charm around her though I hadn't seen her face, yet but I just knew it was her. I saw Regulus's face when his hood fell and he did look horrified, just as Remus says. I'd recognized Snape's voice and hoped to interrupt whatever they were doing. Mary had a Silencing Charm on her so she couldn't speak but she was screaming silently. It was terrible. She didn't recognize me when she saw me and that was even more terrifying. That's when I called for you. James, Remus and Sirius had just returned from their chase and I guess I just panicked but there was so much blood and it was Mary, again."

"Mr. Potter? Mr. Black? Anything to add?"

"Yes Sir. I shouted threats of revenge as I pursued them but I only used a disarming spell. Regulus could have been injured." James said without shame.

"Mr. Black?"

"I yelled a whole bunch of things at Reg, Sir! Begged him to come back to the right side. I threatened Snape and fired many offensive spells but as Remus has said, I don't know how much damage I did. They were of course, not dark spells but I admit that in the heat of the moment it could have escalated into a full-blown battle. I told Snivellus to leave my brother the hell alone or I'd see to him myself and I would have done had they not made it to the safety of their common room."

"I see. Well, in the heat of the moment we all say things. Speaking your mind is not illegal, at least not yet and you did not have a chance to act on your threats which you easily could could have done had they not entered into their own common room. You demonstrated surprising self-control, all of you; especially you Mr. Black as I am sure you know of many dark spells, courtesy of your charming mother." Dumbledore gave Sirius a sympathetic look. "All three of you would have been disastrously superior in a fight. You too Miss Evans; I know that each of you has a history with Mr. Snape and reasons to hold him in … less than high regard. Can any of you think of anything else, any detail that might be helpful."

They sat there wracking their brains for some detail and then Lily spoke. "I do not believe that Regulus was willfully involved in Mary's torture. He seemed an unwilling participant and more like he was forced into watching, the wrong place, at the wrong time. He was there but he did not look at all approving of the attack or even to have been a part of it. Mulcibur and Avery were enthralled and I believe would have carried on if they had not been interrupted. I am not sure what Snape thought or felt as he is so hard to read but he wanted them to stop and get back to their common room before they were caught. At least that is how it appeared to me, Sir."

"Thank you all for your accounts and for your decisive actions last night. You may well have saved Miss McDonald's sanity. They have been suspended for seven school days and all were sent home though I doubt that their families will support my actions."

"Walburga is probably congratulating Reg as we speak! Stupid woman!" spat Sirius.

"Sadly, you are probably correct Mr. Black. The same could be said for the parents of all three boys as they support Voldemort. Still, I am bound by the law and there is only so much I am allowed to do. Mary will recover, her wounds were grave but Madam Pomfrey was able to keep her stable until St. Mungo's could get here."

"It was Dark Magic then, wasn't it Sir?" James asked.

"Indeed. Some slicing spell that refuses to heal with standard healing spells or potions. It sounds like that is probably what you heard Mr. Lupin. If I'm not mistaken it was something designed to cause terrible injury. It's one I have never seen before so probably a recent invention; likely iterated as Sectumsempra, it would fit with Mary's injuries. Anyway, if there is nothing else, you are all dismissed. I will have an update for the whole school at dinner which might answer questions you think of during the day still, if you remember anything or need to talk, you know where I can be found." He smiled but his eyes lacked their characteristic mischievous twinkle. He looked older today than he did just yesterday and terribly sad. They left Dumbledore's office and reluctantly returned to class.

It seemed absurd to go to class. It dragged and even their teachers seemed distracted, like their hearts weren't in it today. They stuck together all day. Lunch was a subdued affair and their last class of the day went no faster than their first. The visited Mary twice but the first time, she was with Professor Dumbledore so they didn't see her again until right before dinner and that time she was asleep. In the corridors, people whispered as they passed and some even pointed at them. Slytherin, when not giving them a wide berth, whispered threats of retribution but these were not accompanied by hexes so they were spared dueling. James was sure that they were storing up their need for something much worse than corridor duels. Mighty did not arrive with a Daily Prophet so it was assumed that the rag had not yet heard about the attack; they were not known for discretion and would have published in a blink if even a whisper of trouble at Hogwarts reached a Prophet reporter's ears.

By dinner time, it appeared that the whole school knew bits and pieces about last night's attack on Mary McDonald. Students from three of the four houses made her a giant get-well-soon card and the Head Girl, Emmeline Vance brought it to the Gryffindor table for Lily to give to Mary. Just as Emmeline reached her seat, Dumbledore rose from his; it was time to address his students.

"These are dark times. When students, meant to live and learn in the safety provided by this Castle, it's Staff and its Headmaster are openly and brutally set upon by the cruel then the time to act has past. In light of last night's attack, I have brought in some help, reinforcements as it were. Aurors will provide security and I do hope their presence keeps events like those of last night from reoccurring. I am deeply saddened. I am also greatly disappointed. Such behavior will not be tolerated. While I cannot control the thoughts of students who would do such a thing I can control the environment in which they live. The attackers have been identified by multiple eye witness accounts and have been suspended for a period of seven days. Hogwarts will remain open to all who demonstrate magic and this policy will not change. Magic is a gift, not property and therefore it cannot be stolen. Magic belongs to those who have it. It is after all, the open enrollment policy of Hogwarts that allows students from all backgrounds and with varying, if misguided values to attend. This is a war of ideologies. I implore you to band together by demonstrating mutual respect; for only light can drive out the darkness."

The Marauders simultaneously looked toward the Slytherins to see how they would take the news and as expected, they did not appear to welcome Dumbledore's policy of continued open enrollment nor of his suspension of four of their own. Their faces were set in varied looks of open dislike, their heads were either shaking, indicative of their distain or they were low in clusters; plotting. The majority of the Hall's students approved of Dumbledore's speech and applauded respectfully, the teachers rose from their chairs in support of their Headmaster joining their student's demonstration of approval. Having just arrived to hear Dumbledore speak, Aurors, twenty in all, entered the Great Hall. They applauded militantly, slowly and with a marching cadence as they marched down the center isle two at a time, toward High Table. Battle lines were being drawn. The atmosphere in The Great Hall felt like a war room and the troops were preparing.

Professor Dumbledore introduced the Aurors, they had Auror sounding names like Shacklebolt, Scrimsgeour and Dawlish who would do rounds in lieu of the prefects, for the time being. They looked like a formidable bunch, very serious in their demeanor and not to be messed with. Furthermore, Dumbledore required that no student walk the corridors alone, curfew would be nine o'clock for all students, including prefects and the Head Boy and Girl. No one would be permitted to be outside the castle after dark even if it effected Quidditch practices. Many began to protest this but were silenced with a look from Dumbledore. He explained that recent events would alter the curriculum of every student in Defense Against the Dark Arts. The prefects, and Head Boy and Girl would take up tutoring the younger students in defense as a supplement to their coursework, under Professor Diggle's supervision. The Headmaster reminded them all to watch out for suspicious behavior and finally he forbade anyone to interrogate Mary when she was released from hospital. It was a sobering meal.

They went to visit Mary who said she felt the applause rumble up through the floor. She was taking several potions now and all appeared to be working on her injuries but we're not helping her to remember. Only Professor Dumbledore could help Mary with that.

"Professor Dumbledore and I examined my memories in his device called a Penseive. He just siphoned them out of my head with his wand and dropped them in! They swirled around and then I saw myself rise right up to the surface. Weird, huh? Still, it feels better in here now," she said, pointing to her head. "He said he'd like to keep them for a while and I told him he was welcome to them!"

They assured her that no one would pump her for information once she rejoined the school at large and that she would not be alone for even a second except in their common room. They promised revenge and told her they had a safe house, inside the castle, where they could not be found by anyone. Mary expressed worry about falling behind but they rallied around her with assurances that they would help catch her up. They left Mary only after Madam Pomfrey insisted vociferously that she needed sleep! Peter adamantly argued that he be allowed to stay but she would have none of it. She reminded Pete that there were the two Aurors guarding the door.

The Aurors patrolling the corridors were a polite but serious bunch. However, adults had their purposes. Ensconced in their common room, they finished their essays by sharing what they understood, using the books provided by the Room of Requirement; it was the work of just a couple of hours.

"I don't know why Dumbledore doesn't just chuck 'em out!" Sirius spat like he had been holding this thought in all night. "I will not be chummy with Slytherins and its hard to believe he actually thinks I should!"

"He can't have a policy of open enrollment Pads and exclude a whole House!" James explained. "Surely you see that. Besides wasn't your cousin Andromeda in Slytherin House? She can't be lumped in with the rest. She married a Muggle-born, didn't she? What about your uncle Alphard? He's a good bloke. And there's Professor Slughorn, surely you don't hold it against him that he's a Slytherin?"

"You're singing a new tune Prongs! Since when did you start defending Slytherin?" Sirius retorted.

"And where would Reg be if not at school? He'd be at Grimmauld Place, with your parents. Think about that Sirius!" James fired back.

"I sorta agree with Sirius. Maybe they shouldn't be here," Lily interrupted.

Everyone gaped at Lily.

"Thanks Flower! See, even Lily agrees with me."

"No, she doesn't Sirius, not really," Remus said to a glowering Lily.

"Yea, yea, I suppose," Sirius conceded. "Reg is as doomed here as he is at home! Still, you saw their faces when Dumbledore concluded his speech? They looked mutinous. I think that things are definitely going to get worse before they get better and I plan to be in on that action! I can hear Walburga now ... how she's so proud her little Regulus, making a statement and showing proper Tourjours Pur, she'll be encouraging Reg to ramp up; probably has ideas for him! Orion won't contradict her either. No scolding for the better son!" Sirius was on his feet now, pacing and mimicking Walburga.

"Well I agree with Sirius. We cannot let this go unanswered! What kind of Gryffindors would that make us? Cowards! I'd love to give them a piece of my wand!" Lily argued.

"Yet, in the heat of it Lily, you didn't. You used a shield charm. Attitudes like that would make us Slytherins, not Gryffindors." Remus insisted.

Sirius continued, openly frustrated and angry. "Walburga would have the Aurors round up all Muggleborns and blood traitors to use for target practice. Stupid woman! You're right James. She'd ruin Reg before Snivellus gets his chance!"

"Look Pads, don't think about Reg now; he had a choice. He could have left and come to live with us too. It's not your fault he chose to remain, to become The Black Family Heir. You may be his big brother but you can't make his choices for him. Furthermore, he looked like a reluctant participant in Mary's attack. Perhaps he is questioning his choices. Maybe he'll save himself." James argued logically.

Meanwhile, Mars watched Sirius closely, concern, evident in her blue eyes as they followed his pacing. Then, she patted her hand on the sofa next to her inviting him to sit. To Lily's amazement, Sirius complied with Mars' unspoken request, plopping down in a huff, dropping his head into his hands.

"It's late guys, we should turn in. Who knows what we'll face tomorrow. Our homework is done, our friend Mary is on the mend, her attackers have been suspended, we have Aurors guarding us and we are still safer here than anywhere else. We should rest up to be ready for ... whatever." Remus summed up their present situation succinctly.

"He's right. It's been a very long day. We should turn in." James agreed.

In the privacy of their dorm, Lily asked the question she'd been withholding all evening.

"Mars? Are Sirius's parents Death Eaters?" Lily almost whispered.

"No Lily, not exactly." Mars looked around and saw that Lily, at least, needed an explanation. Alice knew all about the Blacks and Dor knew a lot but Lily knew little to nothing about the history behind the families currently on opposite sides of this war so she continued.

"Death Eaters are Voldemort's foot soldiers. The Black's would never lower themselves to acting as solders, they are above that level of service. They like to work behind the scenes, they coerce, they provide gold for bribes, they host parties for the like-minded pure blood families; a safe haven where they can speak openly, hatch plans and build alliances. They use marriage to bind families together; Sirius and I were betrothed though I am sure that arrangement was changed the minute Orion and Walburga learned about his sorting. I'm sure they have someone in mind for Regulus now; a member of the sacred twenty-eight if possible but certainly a pure blood. It's an old-fashioned custom but pure blood families still practice betrothal even in this day and age, mostly, with distant cousins. We are quite a closed society"

Mars piled on to Lily's bed and then continued. "They support families and causes that fall into line with their beliefs. They use threats and blackmail, they exclude pure blood families who don't agree with them. This can affect future prospects of these family's children. Sadly, there are like minded wizards and witches even in the Ministry, you see. No, the Blacks are not Death Eaters. Like all bullies they are all cowards. They tortured Sirius. I know this because I was there the night that he escaped to the Potter's." Mars took a steading breath. The memory of the state Sirius was in when he turned up at Potter Manor was still very fresh and it made her very angry.

"The Black's hate the Potter's, they're blood traitors you see. James's parents are everything that wizards like the Blacks despise. The Potter's are pure bloods, they are much wealthier than the Black's, their money is old and they too have power and influence. They use at least two similar methods though; they host parties for the like-minded and they donate galleons to families and causes they support. The difference is that the Potter's do this openly; they regularly invite supporters of the Dark Side to these events hoping to win their hearts and minds, while the Blacks work in secret and would never invite a blood traitor into their home! That is one reason Sirius live with the Potters. He chose them as his family and they welcomed him as a son. He is no longer welcome at Grimmauld Place. Nor is he the Black family heir. That falls to Reg now, God help him. Furthermore, Sirius would never return to Grimmauld Place unless it was to rescue Reg. Fleamont always says "Keep your friends close but keep your enemies, closer", thus one of the reasons they invite Dark wizards into their home."

Mars quieted and looked into Lily's eyes to see if they held more questions. They did, but she could also see exhaustion; now was not the time. They were all exhausted and wouldn't be much use to anyone in this state.

"Talk to Sirius, Lily. He won't mind. Really, he won't. But do it somewhere private ya know, where he won't feel exposed. He doesn't like talking about his family but he would tell you about these things if you were to ask him. He doesn't like to be talked about, and honestly, who does? But he will talk with. You have a lot more in common with him than you think. Petunia might not have used the Cruciatus Curse on you but her attitude about magic is exactly the same as his parent's attitude about your blood status. Hate, is hate." Mars finished sagely.

"Why would Sirius talk to me about his family Mars?"

"Because of James," Mars replied.

Lily said nothing to this. She curled up under the covers of her four-poster like the rest of her roommates and closed her eyes. Maybe she could talk to Sirius about his life. He'd given her a nickname. They seemed to share some opinions. They were both grumpy before caffeine and had hot tempers. It would be nice to talk to someone who had cruel family members like Petunia. She and Sev had once had that in common, back when he was still Sev. After thoughts of Sirius and Sev she thought about James, it seemed a natural segue now days. Recently, her thoughts found James all the time. He wasn't arrogant. At least he hadn't been this year. Maybe he never was. He was brilliant, there was no denying it. He wasn't self-important, he was devoted to his friends and knew that his place among them was valued. She found a strange, unsettled comfort in the recollection of their Patronuses. The War was here, inside her precious school, it had touched her friend Mary twice and it was spreading fear and hatred in equal measure. She allowed herself to picture their Patronuses circling them together and she smiled genuinely for the first time all day. She nodded off wondering about him and visualizing his fine face.


	6. Chapter Six: The Marauders Map

**Chapter 6: The Marauder's Map**

Mary was returned to her common room the following morning by Professor McGonagall. No one was in the common room yet, it was still quite early and she was glad of it. She entered her dorm to find all four of her roommates still sleeping and she was glad of this too. She needed a shower, some clean clothes and some time to herself to collect her thoughts and gather up her courage. She had wanted out of hospital so badly but now that she was out she felt exposed and vulnerable. In the shower, all alone, Mary cried. She let out her fear and her anger. She let the water wash these away. She had been ill-prepared for her attack and for that, she was ashamed. Since she'd been attacked last year, she should have been preparing, training in defense and learning all she could. But she never expected to be attacked a second time and that was her mistake.

She learned from Professor Dumbledore that one of her attackers had placed the Imperious Curse on her but it was not clear from her memories alone who was responsible. Dumbledore was a kind wizard. He magicked his Penseive right into the hospital and onto her bed, no one else was there and with curtains drawn and together, they took the plunge. He walked with her through her memories. It was the strangest experience of her life. He explained how he knew that she had been Imperiused and she could see it in face of the Mary in her memories. Sometime in the library her facial expression changed to one of passivity. That was when the curse took hold and she remembered everything up to the moment that she went out through the portrait hole, well that and how it felt to be Imperiused. How could it be that Pete didn't notice? Did she really just act so 'normal' that even he could be fooled?

It felt wonderful, being under the Imperius curse and this made her ashamed as well. In the Penseive she saw that she was met by two of her attackers right in front of the Fat Lady! Avery stunned her and they carried her to the dungeons through secret passage ways she could not remember ever being in. Dumbledore explained how the Fat Lady spread the word through the castle's portraits until it reached the portrait of Professor Dippet in his office and that was how he had been alerted to the danger she was in.

She could see Mulcibur and Avery reveling in her capture. She could see Snape arrive with Regulus in tow; they had not been her attackers rather, even before her Gryffindors, they'd arrived to stop the attack. She could see Snape chastising them for their stupidity and she could see Regulus. Regulus looked appalled at what Mulcibur and Avery had done but he didn't look away which was disturbing. Mulcibur used something called Sectumsempra on her and it was Dark Magic. This was why she was slow to heal and would remain scarred. Then ... she saw Lily charging to her rescue, fierce and unafraid. She saw the boys appear right behind her, fending off her attackers as Lily tried to slow her bleeding, lost as to what to do. She saw the boys return and Lily conjure her Patronus to direct Dumbledore to the Slytherin dungeon corridor. The boys lifted her up off of the floor and Remus carried her. She saw her Headmaster appear on the stairs and take the lead. When they returned to the hospital and her bed which was still private behind the curtains, Dumbledore asked her if he could keep her memories for a while. He thought he had a way to work out who had put the Imperious curse on her. He promised to return them and she agreed. If they were useful then they should be used.

She stayed in the shower until her tears stopped and until the hatred she felt growing inside her heart slowed. Dumbledore warned her about the necrotic nature of hate and shame; he even offered his help to work through these feelings. Dumbledore really was a great wizard.

She entered the Great Hall for breakfast, surrounded by her friends. No one questioned her about the attack and friends from three of the four Houses made a point to welcome her back. It would be a strange day but she could get through it. She had to get through it, after all, she was a Gryffindor! Her professors awarded her points for a brave and dignified return. She didn't like being the center of attention, especially for having been attacked as second time but accepted the points gladly for her House. That night with her friends, she entered The Room of Requirement for the first time.

They were practicing Patronuses and Mary watched as James's and Lily's Patronuses gamboled about playfully. They were a matching pair, stag and doe and Mary thought it was perfectly fitting. Mary struggled but was determined and produced her Patronus after an hour's hard work. She was astonished! Apparently being a Mud-blood did not diminish her magic. Not in the least. Her Patronus was a lynx. It looked a lot like Mary. Marlene was successful about an hour in and she produced a mare, it was tall and lean and pranced around Mary's lynx which was small, stealthy.

Now seemed a good time for a laugh so James, Sirius and Remus encouraged their Patronuses to rough house and called each other Moony, Padfoot and Prongs. Padfoot howled with Moony and Prongs pranced around them, antlers held high. The following hour saw immaturity, shenanigans and tomfoolery. Mary knew this was all for her benefit but was beginning to show signs of exhaustion. Just being around all that magic was draining what little reserves she had. Mary felt certain that she'd pay for casting such a powerful charm in her weakened state. Pete still could not produce a Patronus so James dueled with him instead; a kind effort meant to distract everyone from this conspicuous, almost odd inability.

When it was time to leave Sirius mysteriously checked their exit on what looked to be an old piece of parchment but his was back was turned so Mary di8dn't get a proper look, nor could she hear what he was saying but, on his word, they left Room of Requirement for the Common Room. Reaching the Fat Lady, Mary was escorted to the hospital by Pete and an Auror who was waiting for her. Madam Pomfrey was no fool and asked her directly what magic she had been performing this evening. Mary used the last of her magic reserves and conjured her Patronus one more time. Madam Pomfrey, was certainly impressed but insisted that Mary wait until she was released from care to do any more magic that required so much energy. When she finally returned to her dorm she found a cup of hot chocolate waiting for her on her bedside table; it was from Niki.

Mercifully, Friday finally came. It had been a long and difficult week. On their way to breakfast they greeted the Aurors who were stationed on every floor. Pete seemed to make it his personal mission to protect Mary and stuck to her like

spell-o-tape. Mary seemed quite alright with Pete's new mission and the personal space between them started to shrink. They proceeded through the corridors in pairs, five-deep, chatting amiably about lessons. They looked like the Aurors, marching in formation; Dor and Remus, Mary and Pete, Mars and James, Lily and Sirius and Alice and Frank. Gryffindor House would not be bullied! They met the one bully however that none could escape. He appeared with a pop and floated along making rude noises with his mouth, his wicked grin firmly in place ... Peeves the Poltergeist had made his appearance.

Peeves reveled in mayhem and misery and enjoyed ruining people's days. He started raining bits of chalk down on the Gryffindors. It was like he had been collecting chalk all week just for this moment. He called them names; Potty Paddy, Poopy Prongs, Worthless Wormy, Madman Moony and worst of all Muddy Mary! He was rude and unmanageable and showed little respect for anyone, least of all students. While everyone was reacting to Peeves, spitting chalk out of their mouths, brushing it off their clothes and shaking it out of their hair Dorcas retaliated. She pointed her wand at the Monarch of Misery and shouted, _Waddiwasi!_ With the force of bullets the chalk turned on its originator and flew back up Peeves nose. Giving Dor the evil eye, Peeves whirled around and zoomed away, cursing.

"Cool Dor, I'll have to remember that one!" Remus said evidently impressed.

"He just needs a firm hand that one. I won't take crap off of him this year and he doesn't get to have a go at Mary!" Dor pointed her wand toward the group at large made a circle in the air shouting, _Evanesco_ _!_

"Smooth Dor." Sirius winked at her as the chalk dust disappeared.

They entered the Great Hall still in twos but Mars walked next to Sirius now and Lily was next to James. They enjoyed breakfast, Mighty, brought James his mail, a letter from home and The Prophet. James read the letter but stowed The Prophet in his lucky pack; he'd had enough bad news for one day. Mars and Lily each received a note from Slughorn. He said that Slugclub gatherings would resume after an acceptable period of mourning for the attack on Mary. It wouldn't do to have celebratory parties at the present time and they agreed.

They had all their classes today but they were less than an hour each. Pete assured the rest that he would see Mary to Madam Pomfrey personally; it seemed Mary was his mission now. In Potions, the deconstruction of the four potions was progressing and Professor Slughorn seemed to make a point of acknowledging the Gryffindors by awarding them ten points each. In Herbology they pruned and cleaned and organized the greenhouse which was customary every other Friday. In Transfiguration, they transfigured their various objects into various mammals non-verbally and reversed the spell with relative ease. Professor McGonagall was pleased to see good progress among those who had struggled earlier that week. James and Lily shared a knowing look.

They took their lunch outside and ate by the lake under their favorite tree. It was on this sight last year, under this very tree, during O.W.L.'s, that Snape had called Lily a Mudblood. Lily never even thought of the incident once and no one mentioned it. They were building new memories of this place to obliterate the old. The tossed their bread crumbs and some crisps to the Giant Squid and it lazily caught every projectile that came its way.

In Magical Creatures, they were introduced to a litter of kneazles and this brought a smile to everyone's faces. The kittens were adorably cuddly and their purring seemed to bring on a feeling of well-being and optimism among the students which was just what they needed. In Charms their wandless magic had improved and Professor Flitwick was so pleased that he levitated himself and the whole class with Wingardium Leviosa; just for the fun of floating around the room. It was a wonderful feeling; to float weightlessly. In Defense, the Gryffindors demonstrated their command of the Patronus charm. There were many new Patronuses present and Professor Diggle showed his pleasure by awarding ten points to every student who successfully produced a corporeal Patronus. James and Lily shared a second knowing look. Everyone knew about Lily's doe and how she conjured her to find Dumbledore so, the proverbial cat was out of the bag.

Friday had started out edgy and Peeves hadn't helped but it ended on a much lighter note; their homework was turned in and their only assignments for the weekend were to practice! The prefects had a meeting after dinner to strategize with Professor Diggle regarding tutoring the younger students. Remus and Lily looked forward to this. Mary was down to only two potions a day now and she was looking better for having spent time outside.

Dinner in the Great Hall felt festive. After floating with Flitwick and cuddling with kneazles the mood of the Gryffindors was lifting. The Marauders decided that it was time to show the girls the kitchens and planned this excursion for seven o'clock. Pete escorted Mary to hospital and Madam Pomfrey told her that she only need come in once a day for the next week. Lily and Remus went with Frank to their tutoring meeting and returned enthusiastic to begin on Monday. Sirius took time to send a thanks to the James's dad for his views on potion deconstruction even though they no longer needed this advice. Lily proved to be quite helpful and she willingly explained to James and Sirius what was required for each potion's deconstruction. It was becoming a give and take relationship with the Gryffindors and they were all benefiting from each other's, specialties. James indulged in a fly with Mars, Dor and Sirius. Nothing was better for a worried mind than flying! They practiced drills and did aerial acrobatics just for the hell of it. They came off the pitch with lighter hearts and sweaty faces! After showers, all around they gathered in the common room for their adventure to the kitchens.

The Great Hall was empty now save for a few younger students doing homework or playing chess and of course there were the Aurors. The Marauders and their female companions who had taken to calling themselves The Minions, following Dor's suggestion, walked through the Great Hall like it was common place and exited through a door left of High Table. This was a door usually used only by the staff but the Marauders used it now like they too, were entitled. They went down a flight of stone stairs but instead of ending up in the gloomy dungeon corridors they found themselves in a broad stone corridor brightly lit with torches and walls decorated with cheerful paintings that were mainly of food. One of these paintings was of a gigantic silver bowl full of fruit. Sirius did the honors, stretched out a finger and tickled a huge green pear. It began to squirm, chuckling, and suddenly turned into a large green door handle. Sirius turned the handle, pulled the door open and the girls had their first view of the kitchens.

The room was a buzz of activity with house elves hard at work. Lily would have never known that Hogwarts housed so many elves, easily two hundred, all quite happily doing what house elves do; care for their magical charges. The room was the exact same size as the Great Hall and laid out to match, which was actually located directly above them Pete explained. The room had a high ceiling and was full of glittering copper pots and mounds of brass pans all hanging neatly on hooks along the walls of the giant room or over the work tables that were complete with elf-height benches and little stairs to make work here more suited to the workers who performed it. At the far end a great brick fireplace with ovens on both sides blazed. The elves were dressed neatly in Hogwarts tea-towels worn toga style. When they saw the Marauders, they hurried over to greet them, levitating with them trays of cakes and tea with milk and sugar.

"Welcome back young Masters, we is happy to see you! You bring guests we sees ...ah Mary and Lily, you found us!" It was Niki and she was bowled over to see them.

"Come and sit at chef's table. We'z just finished a fresh batch of hot cocoa if anyone wants?" The Hogwarts house elves were a very happy bunch, delighted to tend to their people and to display their beautiful kitchen and delicious food. It had to be one or the homiest rooms that Lily had ever been in. There were dozens of elves all busy with their own work squeaking greetings to their guests.

Once seated, the little Chef's Table had expanded to a Chef's dining table and rose to accommodate their height while the chairs multiplied themselves. They were treated to all manner of delectable offerings; sweet, flaky pastries, freshly fried crisps, cheese of all types, freshly baked bread hot from a great stone oven and of course, steaming mugs of hot cocoa. Lily was not hungry exactly but it would be rude to not accept what was being offered. She tried a bit of everything and the cocoa was the tastiest she had since O.W.L.'s. Everyone visited with the elves that came to their table. It was a wonderful surprise to have the Marauders share this particular secret with them. Remus stocked up on chocolate and other treats were packaged to take with them. They thanked their elf hosts, promised to come again and left the kitchen loaded with whatever treats the each fancied most.

The trip back to Gryffindor tower was the reverse of the way they came and they shared the treats they were carrying with the students who were still studying in the Great Hall and every Auror they saw along the way. They even saw Mr. Filch and Miss Norris and with an offering of freshly made chocolate he forgot to yell at them for eating in the corridors. It was an olive branch of sorts but Pete assured The Minions that Filch had a long memory for wrong-doing and a short memory for kindness.

That evening in the Common Room they acted like the teenagers that they were. They played chess and exploding snap, they discussed their classes and their new teacher Professor Diggle. They planned new pranks. They visited with the star-struck first years who giggled and gibbered. They tended to little things. The Quidditch team members took to broom care, and discussed tryouts. Lily and Mary worked on catching Mary up on her homework. Professor McGonagall stopped by to see how they were faring after the week's terrible events and most certainly, to take a head count. The evening flew by and most of the rest of the Gryffindors gradually went up to bed. Niki the house elf stopped by to tidy and say a squeaky good night; it was quite late now and sleep sounded like a wonderful idea. They wandered up to their dorms feeling relaxed and safe they fell asleep looking forward to a relaxing weekend spent out-doors.

School seemed to return to normal the second week of the term, but for James it only _seemed_ normal. By mid-week, Mulcibur, Avery, Snivellus and Regulus returned from their seven-day suspension like nothing had happened at all. The students were becoming accustomed to having Aurors present but James couldn't help thinking they shouldn't be needed. Furthermore, they were not only present in the corridors; they were everywhere; the loos, the classrooms, the kitchens, the Quidditch Pitch and even the Owlery. James was beginning to wonder who they were watching and who they were protecting. Besides, they were beginning to pose a problem in Barnabas the Barmy's corridor. Their presence was making access to the Room of Requirement almost impossible. Marauders could spot suspicious behavior a mile away and James thought that the Aurors were becoming suspicious of their activities. It was time for drastic action.

James had kept his invisibility cloak a secret for five years. Only the Marauders knew about it and James was loath the reveal one of his most useful tools in Magical Mischief Making. Nonetheless, the needs of the many ... James decided to share the use of his cloak with the witches and Frank but he hadn't told the Marauders so, a conference was needed, just the four of them. It felt like diluting the Fidilius Charm; showing six more people his cloak. At the same time, the Room of Requirement had become their safe harbor; even safer than their common room. He'd never felt the need for more safety than the common room had provided and this fact alone felt like a warning. On the way to the pitch, far from prying eyes or eves dropping ears, the Marauders had a conference.

"Remus what do you think? Am I being paranoid or is this year odd? There's this voice in my head screaming of warning. Mary's attack was the proverbial straw! I feel like we have had subtle warnings that could go unnoticed or mean something. I've this terrible need to be ready and to have a safe house that's safer than the common room," James finished looking concerned.

"What warnings have you noticed James?" Remus could tell that James was worried because he used his name; Remus. Usually, James was a fun-loving prankster who took his safety for granted and called him Moony most of the time.

"In chronological order; _One_ : no problems with the Slytherins on the train, Snivellus was no-where to be seen and we weren't hexed even once. It's like they have gone underground and I can feel them plotting. _Two_ : No Peeves greeting. I know it's a bit of a stretch but it's like he's lost his nerve. I was expecting more from him than a bit of chalk dust, you know, it's like his heart wasn't really in it or worse, like he was scared. _Three_ : Learning to conjure a Patronus for communication; it's not easy magic and seems like we are being prepared for something. _Four_ : Mary's attack. It was not a prank, it wasn't even hazing, it was Dark Magic Remus! A Gryffindor has been cursed with Dark Magic twice while we have been students here. And why in a corridor? Why not take her to their common room? It's like they wanted to be found. _Five_ : Regulus and Snivellus not celebrating the Muggle attack in The Prophet with the rest of the Slytherins, they were far too serious that morning; like they were up to something. _Six_ : No Slytherins heckling us before tryouts. They always abuse Gryffindor before tryouts. I'd wager not one of them is even here this morning. _Seven_ : They are not harassing us in the corridors or in class, no whispered threats, no anything, like they are behaving, ... or trying to look like they are behaving, it gives me the creeps! _Eight_ : Aurors in the corridors. We have Aurors protecting us at school. It's school Remus! We shouldn't need protecting here. _Nine_ : Training up first years to defend themselves here, inside the school! _Ten_ : Learning talking Patronuses to call for back-up!

"Well, when you put it like that I can see your point. That's quite a list. I don't know, something probably is up. When is something not up at Hogwarts? Sirius?" Remus looked to Sirius.

"I've felt like the year is odd too but didn't know what was bugging me until now. We should add to Prong's list, whatever number we're on now that my little brother is getting way too chummy with Snivellus! At first, I thought the Slytherin's not harassing us on the train or this week before tryouts was just a bit of luck but then Mary was attacked again and now that James has listed so many disturbing shifts this year, I think he has a point. Pete?" Sirius was pacing.

"Obviously I have terrible feelings about this year already!" He sounded angry and resentful that there was even a question about this year being a bad one. Pete was pacing too and his tone caught the rest by surprise.

"Warning number, what are we up to now, _Eleven?_ Pete's pissed-off and pacing! Pete has paced twice this term so it's got to be a sign and he's rarely angry and he's never paced!" James sounded like that was incontrovertible evidence of trouble.

"Of course, I'm angry James! I can only imagine how you'd be if it had been Lily!"

"Whoa there Pete! No need to yell at me! I understand how you must feel but I didn't attack Mary! And, if it were Lily, I'd have hexed the lot of them by now!" James retorted.

"How can you possibly understand how I feel James?" Pete yelled.

"I know how I'd feel is all. I am very sorry that this happened to Mary."

Pete just stood there for a moment, his light blue eyes full of anger, resentment and then they misted over with a trace of tears. Her furiously brushed them away with the back of his sleeve and then his shoulders drooped and he exhaled. He didn't look into James's eyes but said in a quiet voice, "Thanks James. I'm sorry too. I have been in a right foul mood and I don't mean to take it out on you, not any of you. I just feel helpless. I should have been there for her. Maybe I couldn't have stopped them but I might have been able to interrupt them or draw their fire." His voice rose to an angry whisper and his eyes swept his three friends, "Twice! She's been attacked twice. It's just so unfair."

"You're right Pete. It is unfair. We all should have been there for her. I have thought a lot about it and at first, I thought to share my Invisibility cloak with the witches and Frank but now I think The Marauder's Map is better still."

The Marauders looked at James as if he were mad but he raised a hand to shush them and continued. "Just hear me out. I think we should share the map with the witches and Frank." The Marauders listening still stared at James like he'd lost the plot. "Just listen to my reasoning before you have me carted off! If we'd had someone on Map duty, they'd have seen Mary abducted, maybe even seen who put the Imperious curse on her. If we had more eyes to monitor the Map we could take better care of each other. With just us four, we'd have to watch it for hours at a time but divided by ten of us and rotated, well, we could almost monitor the castle round the clock." James stopped talking and looked hopefully at his three best mates, waiting for their opinions of his proposal.

"He has a point. The Map offers protection to the most people. We could take it in shifts." Remus added evenly. "Besides, I think that the secret of the map will be short lived with Lily around."

" _We need a map of the school. Just think how useful that would be!_ " Sirius mimicked Lily's enthusiastic voice. "That's the problem with having intelligent friends, they figure stuff out on their own!"

"It's true. Intelligent friends do figure things out." Remus shoved his hands into his pockets and looked rather sheepish. "Lily knows that I am a werewolf. She's never told a soul so I know she can be trusted."

"She knows? For how long? How did she find out? How do you know she knows?" There was panic in all their voices now but their expressions were more impressed than Remus was expecting but he was pleased all the same. Truth be told, he knew Lily better than any of them and he knew he was right to trust her. Even as they were firing him questions, one after another before he could even get a word in he could tell that at least James and Sirius were not all that surprised at this news.

"She figured me out years ago, about the same time as you two did actually." he said indicating James and Sirius. "She told me fourth year. Well confronted me more like, but I trust her. She values my friendship and, if nothing else, she's proven she's loyal. She was even loyal to Snape up until the moment that he betrayed her. I don't think Lily would betray anyone's secret. Besides, I think she's developing a soft spot where Marauders are concerned, she respects talent and cleverness and loyalty, Lily does. If nothing else, we've got those in spades."

"Well, this changes things a bit. If Flower can be trusted with a secret like that then I have no problem with the rest of them knowing. Mars is the most trustworthy witch I know and Dor wouldn't out Moony if her life depended on it." Remus smiled at that and Sirius winked as he continued. "I am pretty sure that Mary is in love with our Wormy here so she's an ally," Sirius nudged Pete as he said this and Pete grinned so widely his face looked about to break. "As for Frank and Alice, well, they'll be Aurors, of that I have no doubt so, they'll be keen to be part of any secret that helps our side. It's quite a useful tool and seeing how we spend a lot less time on pranks and rule-breaking this year, it could do with re-purposing." Sirius finished this speech like his was the final word on the subject.

"I suppose we must do something." Pete added. "I hate sharing our Map though. It's been our secret for so long. But, James is right. It might have made a difference for Mary so I agree with him even though it feels like the end of an era. Besides, Lily will figure it out sooner rather than later. It's too close to her idea for her not to cotton-on. I guess if you're all agreed then it's decided. We'll share the Map."

"Are we all agreed then?" James asked one last time looking at each of them in turn.

Sirius, Remus and Pete took a moment to consider and then nodded their agreement.

"Room of Requirement, after tryouts?" James asked.

"Agreed." The Marauders said in unison.

The stands were filling and hopefuls were gathering on the Pitch. They were a varied group, the wannabes. No Slytherins though. The first year Gryffindors climbed up the stands toward Remus and Pete, "Can we sit with you during tryouts?" asked all four of them in unison. What was it with these four and simultaneous speaking? Evidently, they had taken Mars' invite to heart and had shown up in full Gryffindor colors.

"Sure. You were invited were you not, pull up a bench and join us. This will be good." Remus had a big heart. Lily, Alice and Mary joined them. Mary sat next to Pete and his attention to tryouts was lost.

Alice turned to Remus and asked, "So what do you make of them?" pointing to the pitch where all the hopefuls milled about trying to look impressive. Lily was paying close attention too.

Before he gave his views on tryouts he whispered, "Meeting on the RoR after lunch."

"Such intrigue Remus." Alice whispered back.

"Just pass it on." He whispered impatiently.

James, Sirius, Mars and Dor were in a huddle just before tryouts began. "Meeting in RoR after lunch," James said. Then they broke their huddle and attended to the hopefuls. Meanwhile, in the stands they could hear James bellowing to the candidates and their conversation ended so they could listen.

"Listen up you lot! We have three positions open this year. We need a keeper, a chaser and a seeker! I would like to put together a reserve team too so if you are willing to go through all the same training as the rest of us, then you are welcome to try out for any position. Being a reserve will not make you a cert next year but it definitely will help!" There were murmurs of agreement.

"Right! Let's get a move on. Everyone, take five laps around the pitch to warm up. OK guys let's weed-m-out!" James, Sirius, Dor and Mars watched the hopefuls. Of the forty-three, present, three were giggling second years who couldn't even get off the ground, six were love-struck Sirius devotees and seven weren't even Gryffindors; all were dismissed. They happily went to the stands to ogle Sirius or watch try outs. Most of the remaining Gryffindors flew well enough and about ten of them flew well. When they completed their five laps, they returned to the captain for instruction.

"Beater reserves you're with Miss Meadows! Chasers you're with Miss McKinnon! Keepers, you're with Mr. Black and seekers, you're with me!" Mars took her group through a series of drills on passing, scoring and formations while Dor set her beaters loose on them. Sirius had the keepers take turns in this simulated game and James left them to it. When the worst were eliminated he would watch them with an eye to how well they fit with his current team and what unique skills they had to offer. Meanwhile he took the seekers off and put his snitch to use. He nicked it years ago and it was well trained to give a seeker hell!

Two hours later they had three new team members and four reserve players, one for each position. The new chaser was a long and lean fifth year named Felina Johnson, the keeper was a long armed and broad sixth year named Don Thomas and their new seeker was a quick and tiny fifth year called Siobhan Shanahan. James was well pleased with all his new players and thought that Shanahan would become a stupendous Seeker.

"First practice is Monday evening at seven o'clock! If you are late I will replace you! Showers then lunch!" James barked. He looked at the stands; no Slytherins.

"Well I have shouted so much I practically scare myself. D'ya think I scared them enough Mars?"

"I think so. If not by revealing your petrifying personality, then that bit about replacing them certainly did." Mars smirked. Knowing James for twelve years made it hard to imagine him as scary but she knew that the new team members should fear him just enough and she trusted James to find that balance. James was a natural leader and he loved Quidditch; what more could they need in their captain?

"Well that wasn't too bad. I'm starving! Shower, lunch, RoR?" Dor questioned and she received nods all around.

After lunch, they managed to gain access to the Room of Requirement in groups, hoping to avoid suspicion. The Marauders came in last.

"So... we have something that we want to show all of you and it is a sacred secret ...", James began. "Lily, you remember when you mentioned a map of Hogwarts, how useful it would be? Well, we have one."

They just stared at James. He had them all standing around a table, that was about the size of a teacher's desk. He dug The Marauder's Map out of a deep pocket from the inside of his robes and placed it on the table. The Map was folded closed and it was blank; it just looked like a spare piece of parchment. James took out his wand and placed the tip to this apparent spare piece of parchment and said quite clearly, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Lily's green eyes got greener and wide with surprise.

Thin, ink lines began to spread like a spider's web from the point James's wand had touched. They joined each other, crisscrossed and fanned into every corner of the parchment. Then words began to blossom across the top, great, curly green words, that proclaimed:

Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs,

Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief -Makers

are proud to present The Marauder's Map.

It was a map showing every detail of Hogwarts castle! But this was no ordinary map. The truly remarkable thing were the tiny ink dots moving around it, each labeled with a name in minuscule writing. Astounded, the group bent over it simultaneously. Lily looked from the map up at James, her green eyes the size of galleons now and asked, "Where did you get this?"

"We made it," he said. The group looked up from the map, again simultaneously and asked in unison, "You made it?"

"Yup, we made it," said the Marauders in unison with no small touch of pride.

Everyone looked back down at the Map. It showed Professor Dumbledore in his study, pacing; the caretaker's kitten Miss Norris, was prowling the second floor; and Peeves the Poltergeist was currently bouncing around the trophy room. The map also showed several passages that no one in the group had ever seen or entered (except Mary during her abduction from Gryffindor's corridor). It showed everyone in the castle, moving about the corridors or hanging out in their common rooms.

"This is miraculous magic!" Lily said gleefully.

"You have kept this to yourselves for how long?" Dor sounded accusatory.

"Well to be fair, it is ours!" Pete defended.

"So, this is how you plan pranks?" Frank asked.

"Is this how you knew where to find me?" Mary wondered out loud.

"No, that was my Patronus," said Remus.

"Hang on, why are you showing it to us if it is such a big secret?" asked Mars.

"And how and when did you make it? It is such outstanding magic." Lily said.

"That almost sounds insulting when you say it like that!" Sirius said to Lily.

"No, I didn't mean it like that, it's just...so...WOW!"

Quiet resumed as the group took it in and they studied the Marauder's Map. They opened up different folds and flaps revealing more floors and different rooms. They picked it up, turning it over in their hands. They placed it back on the table with care; it didn't belong to them. They were all a bit light headed and the Room provided all of them chairs. They sat, leaning back as if exhausted and Frank let out a low whistle.

Then the Marauders all gave credit to James for the idea of creating the Map. They explained that it took them years to make; Pete obviously drew it just as Remus obviously magicked everything to move in real time. James and Sirius claimed credit for much of the reconnaissance needed to map the entire castle and grounds. They explained that they were improving it all the time with new spells that provided different types of information and new places they seemed to discover regularly.

It took a very powerful wizard to investigate a place and find hidden magic. Thus, James's and Sirius's contribution involved more than they let on, not to mention Wormy's. James didn't want Lily to think that he was an arrogant show-off, nor give up that they'd used his Invisibility Cloak for most of their reconnaissance. Sirius didn't want to share his gift for finding secret places like escape routes and traces of hidden magic as he had learned most of this while trapped at Grimmauld Place. None of them wanted the Minions to know that three of them were secret, illegal Animaguses and had therefore learned loads in their altered state. They didn't want anyone else besides Lily to know that Remus was a werewolf and had his own special secret passageway to the Whomping Willow. They had a lot of secrets, these four wizards, and agreed the Minions need not know everything. When they finished explaining what they were willing to share they began to instruct.

"You have to wipe it when you're finished otherwise, anyone can read it. Just tap it with your wand and say "Mischief Managed"." Sirius demonstrated. They each took turns revealing and wiping the map in front of the Marauders. Finally, after everyone had practiced with the map, Lily burst out laughing.

"So, this is the reason for all the spooked looks you all gave me during the Welcoming Feast?" Lily reasoned.

"Yeah. Dumbledore doesn't know about it; no one besides us did until today." Pete explained.

"And this was what you kept referring to every time we left this room? While your back was turned?" Mars added.

Sirius just nodded sheepishly.

"But why now, and why us?" Dor repeated Mars' earlier question.

"Well, James is having some bad feelings about this year, especially now after, well, you know, after your attack Mary." Sirius nodded toward Mary as he said this. "We're all having bad feelings about this year really but once James listed his to us we agreed that things at Hogwarts this year are off. We decided that it would be useful to keep everyone safe."

Discussion commenced regarding James's numerous bad feelings and the group seemed to share his concern.

"Are you always this observant James?" asked Lily.

"He is Lily, always." said Remus before James could answer. James looked a bit taken aback hearing this from Remus. "He's like our canary in the mine but rather than dropping dead, he alerts us with words." This statement brought on a bit of laughter.

"The truth is Mary, that if we had been using the Map we would have seen your abduction and maybe we could have stopped the attack before it happened." James looked right at Mary as he spoke. "It's been haunting me. I'm so sorry Mary, none of this should have happened to you!"

"James, it shouldn't happen to anyone but my attack was not your fault, not any of you. Maybe though, with the use of this little miracle we could prevent future attacks." Mary finished smiling hopefully, mostly at James.

"Well that is our thinking too. We need to keep our eyes on each other." Pete said hopefully for Mary's benefit and she turned her smile from James and offered it to Pete. He sat a bit taller after.

"We thought we should assign a sort of Map duty so we know what's going on in the castle at all times. I am sure I could figure out a way to highlight our dots so we can find each other easily. Using talking Patronuses we could send instant messages and I don't know... just keep each other out of harm's way." Suggested Remus.

"Hell, we could have just sat in the prefect's office and used the Map to do our patrol!" Frank enthused.

"Well, we've sorta been patrolling the castle, for years," confessed Pete.

"Coding our dots to look different from the others. That's brilliant! We could also temporarily tag someone that we were concerned about either concerned good or concerned bad, ya know? And instant messaging, Remus, that's a great idea too! A Patronus is one thing but that talking thing is another. Talking Patronuses? We only learned the spell last week! You don't want much, do you? Maybe we can't all make them talk like these show-offs can," Dor smirked looking first at Lily and then to the Marauders, "but perhaps we could learn to have them make a sign or a signal. Really just having one show up would almost be alarm enough, right?" There were nods all around.

They spent the next three hours, practicing defense, working on ways to modify the map for temporary, specific needs and coming up with strategies. It was like the Room had become a command center and they were strategizing. It felt great to be doing something, not just letting the adults protect them which hadn't worked out so well this year.

"Won't it look suspicious if we are all absent from the castle at the same time?" Pete asked nearing the end of the third hour.

"Probably," Remus concluded. "We should go down for dinner. I'm getting hungry anyway."

James placed The Marauder's Map in Lily's hands and asked, "Lily? Would like to do the honors; be the first non-Marauder to use it in actual practice."

"I would James." She touched the map with her wand saying, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." The room waited and all looked on in wonder again as the Map revealed itself. When it was safe, they all left together. Then Lily wiped the map with "Mischief Managed" and returned it to James.


	7. Chapter Seven: The Worst Laid Plans

**Chapter 7: The Worst Laid Plans**

The third week of school brought with it the full moon and this month's moon brought new concerns. There were Aurors at Hogwarts. Furthermore, ten people now knew of the Marauder's Map and how to use it. None of the Marauders regretted sharing their map but sharing it did complicate already complicated matters. As always, the only time they could plan for the full moon in their dorm was when they knew Frank would be out but his schedule very closely mirrored their own. So, whenever Frank left, even for a little while they took the time to patch together what plan they could. Normally their plan would have been formalized by now but this year was not a normal year. They'd been piecing together a plan all week but it still fell far short of last year's standards. They managed to secure map duty for James because their biggest concern was making making sure no one would see Remus being escorted to The Whomping Willow by Madam Pomfrey.

It was decided that pairs would be best for Map duty for no better reason than the groups growing paranoia. Whoever was on Map duty was expected to monitor the comings and goings of persons of interest, namely Slytherins who's activities were always of interest to Gryffindors. Others persons of interest consisted of students the Marauders and The Minions deemed most likely to be targeted; Muggle-borns and blood traitors.

They would of course use the Invisibility Cloak as they always had done during the full moon. Now that they all knew Lily knew about Remus, it seemed to complicate things even more requiring Remus to repeatedly reminded them that she had known for years and they should disregard her knowledge for now. They decided that for this month at least they would stick to The Shrieking Shack and only venture into the Forbidden Forest if it was absolutely necessary. No running around Hogsmeade or the grounds.

Meanwhile, classes were becoming increasingly demanding. Their teachers seemed to think their class was of the highest priority and gave work-loads accordingly. Why didn't they ever consider coordinating their classes so that they overwhelmed their students at different times? Why did everything have to be due on Friday? It was like their teachers were in cahoots, working to make their lives more difficult!

Transfiguration was coming more easily for the witches just as potions was so for the Marauders but that only encouraged their teachers to raise expectations. Use of the Room of Requirement became a requirement. Defense Against the Dark Arts was keeping all of them on their toes and Alice had been suggested by Professor Diggle as the person to spar with for the more advanced students. It seemed like their only respite was Care of Magical Creatures which was just fun. Quidditch practice was scheduled for three nights a week and Saturday morning. Lily and Remus were tutoring the younger students on their defensive skills and everyone seemed to be working flat out. Mary was given a clean bill of health on Friday and were it not for the full moon they would have hosted a party in the Gryffindor common room in celebration.

Before they knew it, the full moon was upon them. They were not fully prepared and accepted reluctantly that tonight they might have to wing-it. Sirius loved to wing-it! James thought that Sirius was at his best when he was winging it and truth be told, he was. Pete hated to wing-it! James hated to be without a plan but where Sirius led, James faithfully followed. Sirius escaped Grimmauld place after all so he was perfectly prepared to sneak them out of the castle. Remus departed for the hospital before curfew where Madam Pomfrey who would escort him to the Whomping Willow.

In the common room, it seemed that all the Gryffindors were exhausted from lack of sleep. This lack of sleep resulted invariably in an inability to concentrate thus, they became distracted, restless and irritable. Studying, they decided, was nothing more than hours wasted that they should all be using to catch up on some much-needed sleep. Sirius, with his knack for timing was the first to pack it in claiming that all this study was unnecessary since he was already brilliant. To add to the subterfuge, he claimed the Aurors were ruining his social life so he made a very believable and disgruntled exit allowing James and Pete to follow him up to their dorm. Frank returned from the library at mid-night and was snoring fifteen minutes later. Finally, and much later than they would have liked, The Map showed an empty common room and only Aurors paroling the corridors. Pete transformed in their dorm and made his way out of Gryffindor Tower with James and Sirius in tow, under the Invisibility Cloak. The Fat Lady objected to being bothered but when all she saw was rat she shrieked in fright and ran to the portrait of Sir Cadogan for protection.

Aurors were stationed at every known castle exit permitting James, Sirius and Pete the use of the secret passageway behind the mirror on the fourth floor which led to the grounds behind the Greenhouses. They checked the Map and the grounds appeared deserted but the Whomping Willow was a long way away no matter which route they took. They decided to use the perimeter of the grounds that ran parallel to the Forbidden Forest. The only person they knew they would have to watch out for would be Hagrid because they would have to go right by his cabin. They worried more about Fang smelling them than they worried about Hagrid hearing them. It was faster to go past Hagrid's than it would be going into Hogsmeade and doubling back to the Shrieking Shack. They were already late.

When they got to the Whomping Willow, Pete arrested the restless tree and at last, they were all safely in its hidden passageway to The Shrieking Shack. They could hear Remus already; they'd taken too long. They'd always arrived before he transformed, but tonight, that was not the case. One of them had to be in human form to open the door to the Shrieking shack but that would bring on the blood lust of their werewolf friend. They'd decided they would approach in their Animagus forms and Pete, being the smallest would untransform just long enough to to let them in before transforming back in the hope that his scent-signal would be smallest. This night was not going very smoothly.

By the time they joined Moony he was already extremely agitated. He'd had the briefest scent of Pete and that, coupled with being trapped inside the Shrieking Shack all alone brought out the worst in him. They usually ran around during these escapades keeping him well occupied but tonight with the castle full of suspicious and nosy Aurors they wouldn't risk it. It meant they were going to be injured, well, at least Padfoot and Prongs would be injured. It took a lot out of them to keep Moony busy in in the forest let alone in such cramped quarters as the Shrieking Shack. They were always slightly injured when it was over but tonight serious injury seemed a certainty. Having done this several times now they'd learned a few basic healing spells and kept a potions kit in the passageway to the Whomping Willow with Dittany, Fire Whiskey, bandages and the like. They would have need of it by the morning.

They entered the Shrieking Shack and were instantly confronted by Moony. Padfoot and Prongs had their work cut out for them. The space was far too small. Moony kept making a break for the exits and tonight, Padfoot and Prongs had to prevent him from escaping. What usually was an adventure was turning into a very long nightmare. They were running out of ideas as fast as they were running out of energy and Moony was not cooperating. You could only roughhouse in close quarters with a werewolf for so long. Just when they thought they might make it through the night Moony caught another scent: the scent of humans. This also, had never happened before because they'd always been able to herd him into the Forbidden Forest but someone was out and about tonight and Moony knew it. _Who the bloody hell was outside at this time of night, way out here?_ The Shrieking Shack was located some distance from Hogsmeade and equally far from the Castle so it was highly unlikely that it was students but someone was out there and they needed to find out who. Then, with some brilliant lie get whoever they were, out of harm's way. It was not a good night for firsts.

Wormy was the only one who could perform this sort of mission for two reasons. The first was Wormy's size. The second was because of their size; it was the work of Padfoot and Prongs to keep their werewolf friend in check so Wormy scurried out one of the damaged windows to take a shifty. When he finally returned his little, rat eyes were full of fear and he was shaking but he had no way to communicate with Padfoot and Prongs the nature of the new emergency except to show them. They hadn't anticipated this either. He remained at the window looking out hoping to draw their attention and when they finally realized what Wormy had to show them it was too late. Death Eaters were in Hogsmeade and Moony had scented them.

He took on the posture of a hunting werewolf, eyes dilated, nostrils flaring, ears directed toward Hogsmeade. He would be unstoppable! Padfoot and Prongs tried desperately to subdue him but he would not be subdued; they surrounded him as best as they could, Padfoot growling menacingly and Prongs holding him between his antlers but he broke through with a series of vicious swipes from his claws. Leaving his three friends behind, Moony blasted his way out of the Shrieking Shack and bounded towards Hogsmeade and Death Eaters. Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs had lost control of their werewolf friend and it seemed that there was nothing they could do to stop him. Desperate and terrified for Moony they watched through the werewolf shaped hole he'd made. Then with a stroke of genius born of desperation, Sirius untransformed. It was a deliberate effort to draw him back to them before he was killed by the Death Eaters who, without a doubt, would hit him with the Avada Kedavra curse the minute they spotted him. Prongs and Wormy followed Sirius's lead without hesitation.

Moony hovered between the scent of his two quarries, confused. He paced back and forth for a short of time considering his choices. He howled in frustration but that only served to draw the attention of the Death Eaters who until that moment had not spotted him. Their situation could not have been worse! James, Sirius and Pete watched helplessly as the Death Eaters targeted their friend Remus the werewolf, and spells erupted from the Death Eater's wands! Next thing the Marauders knew Moony was bounding their way. They transformed instantly but the Death Eaters gave chase firing spell after spell at him. Miraculously, Moony changed course and made his desperate escape into the forest.

But, like all miracles, it was a mixed blessing. They had lost him! They

were outside the protection of the castle, bleeding, exhausted and without a plan. They could see the Death Eaters from their relative place of safety, concealed in the Shrieking Shack who appeared to have halted their attack on the werewolf and regrouped. _What were they doing out there?_ The Marauders listened with all their Animagus senses hoping to hear they would retreat back to whatever dubious location they'd come from when to their amazement the Death Eaters disapparated instead, leaving the three Animaguses quite alone. _Where was Moony? Could they find him in time? How badly were they injured? Was Moony injured? What on earth, should they do? Could they risk human form long enough to discuss their current situation or would Moony with his werewolf blood lust dialed up and his terrifyingly great sense of smell surprise them and attack them or worse...turn them? Would Moony kill someone tonight?_

Finally, James inspired by Sirius's earlier gamble, untransformed and the other two, followed suite. He looked at his two friends hoping for a solution.

"Well this is a real cock-up!" Sirius hissed his frustration.

"We could go back to the castle and get you two patched up before you bleed to death or worse get attacked by Moony who will certainly smell you! Someone will know something's up now those cowards in masks have spotted a werewolf so near Hogsmeade. We'll sneak back out and find him once you two aren't bleeding. Look at the state of you!" Pete said indicating their numerous injuries.

"We'll never catch up to Moony now. He's a werewolf! He can look after himself for a bit!" Sirius reasoned worried more for James than himself. James always took the worst of it during the full moon and tonight he was in the worst shape he'd ever been.

"Well, what the hell do we tell Madam Pomfrey about all these injuries?" James fired back.

"We don't." Pete said.

"Easy for you to say Pete, you're not injured! Who will heal us if not her?" spat Sirius.

"THIS, SUCKS!" yelled James!

"SSHHUSH James! Moony will hear you!" Pete begged. "What are we going to do?" They both looked at James now, he was their leader and they would defer to him whatever was needed. James resented being put on the spot like this.

"Pads! You're the wing-it-wizard! You come up with a plan!"

"James I can't improvise unless we are in the thick of it! During battle or at the very least, running for our lives. My planning only works when I've no time to think. We're thinking just now and as such, I think you should come up with a plan."

James realized that Sirius was being honest even if it cost him. They needed a plan and had time to formulate one so he paced, limping but he ignored this. It would do them no good to know how bad they were and if he looked he might lose heart. He thrashed his bloodied hair and limped-paced some more while they watched him.

"We find him. We follow his trail...transformed...until we find him and get him back here! There is no other option. He is our friend and our responsibility. We can't risk him being found out and killed. We can't let him kill someone or worse, turn them. We find him! We are only a bit more injured than usual, surely, we won't bleed to death, Wormy." James looked uncertain as he said this, knowing full well that they were both in very bad shape. "We can figure out what to do about our injuries after we get him back to the Shrieking Shack but right now we find him!"

There was a long pause, Pete weighing their options, Sirius desperately concerned for James. He was brave to the point of foolishness at times and tonight was a perfect example. Sirius knew as far as James was concerned it was not a question of choices, it was a question of honor and loyalty to Remus. Then, James crossed his arms over his chest defiantly and glared at them as if to say _What is there to think about?_

"You're right James, of course, we have to find him before it's too late." Sirius said seriously.

"Thanks Pads. Pete, are you in agreement?"

Pete, as Sirius had pointed out, was not injured so what else could he say?

"I agree, but I really wish this night was over already. What a terrible mess and who the hell were those Death Eaters?"

"I don't know and right now I don't care. We'll worry about that later. Now let's go find Moony."

James and Sirius transformed simultaneously and Pete did so only moments later and hopped up onto Pads' back. It felt like hours, even with their enhanced senses but just as the night sky gave way to the cold, dark blue of pre-sunrise, they finally found him. He was curled up under a tree, naked and bleeding but he was changing into Remus again just as the sun was rising! It was time for Madam Pomfrey to retrieve him but he was not in the Shrieking Shack! This was bad! The whole castle would be awake soon and they needed to get back to where they were all meant to be.

Sirius and Pete untransformed and lifted Remus, placing him over Prong's back to be carried to the Shrieking Shack. Sirius and Pete remained where they were, hidden under the Invisibility Cloak. James and Remus arrived only seconds before Madam Pomfrey could be heard, coming through the passageway provided by the Whomping Willow. _How was it possible that tonight she was miraculously late?_ James had to go, leaving Remus alone and he hated it. Still it was one problem solved.

When he returned to Sirius and Pete he found them exactly where he'd left them hidden under his cloak. They were quietly planning how to get back to their dorm undetected. They couldn't be found in their current states, well ... Pete could as he was unharmed but James and Sirius were a mess. They decided Pete should just get up to their dorm and try to act normal, deflect any questions about them should they arise. James and Sirius would get back to the passage to The Whomping Willow on their own, tend to their wounds as best they could. James's Invisibility Cloak would insure they would make it back to the castle and up to their dorm without being spotted and of course, they still had their Map. Pete was happy to make his departure and did so promptly leaving James and Sirius alone.

They were far more injured than they ever had been before. Sirius, in his concern for James hadn't realized the extent of his own injuries. If they made it back to the castle, it would be another miracle. Their kit would take just enough care of their injuries to get them to where they had to be but no more. Sadly, their injuries bore the unmistakable signs of having been the result of an attack and while Madam Pomfrey didn't ask too many questions, surely these wounds would not fool her. They would need a professional or at the very least someone far more skilled at healing than they were. It was at times like this that Sirius wished he could tell Mars their Animagus secret. Neither of them worried about the little rat's ability to get to where he needed to be. Pete had a powerful sense of self-preservation. Finally, they made their way from The Shrieking Shack to the passage-way beneath The Whomping Willow.

They spent a good hour cleaning and treating their lacerations which ranged over much of both their bodies. When they could move without bleeding all over the place they gathered what was left of their aid kit and stuffed it into James's lucky pack; it would need replenishing before the next full moon. They donned the Invisibility Cloak once again and made their way slowly toward the Castle in broad daylight. They were hunched over so no one would see a couple of pairs of feet walking without bodies across the grounds. Now to face the gauntlet presented by the route to their dorm. Aurors, possibly students and teachers would all be awake now and this was going to be another nightmare. Being invisible didn't mean they were massless nor inaudible.

In their panic, they almost forgot the Room of Requirement but always brilliant in a pinch Sirius remembered. If need be it would conceal them while they figured out how to convince Madam Pomfrey that these injuries were not suspicious. They could only hope the Room was not currently hiding anyone else. Fortunately, they knew many secret ways to get around the castle and they used all of them to get to the corridor outside this most amazing room. They made their three passes, wishing most fervently for the room to grant them access and it did. They rushed inside their sanctuary and closed the door.

Both of their mouths formed the so frequently seen open "O" as they looked around the room now. It never failed them and tonight it had outdone itself. They found it equipped with a roaring fire which was wonderfully warm. They only now realized they were freezing not to mention being in shock. It also provided two ornate cast iron bathtubs full of hot, bubble filled water, fresh towels and clean clothes. Feeling no need for modesty they stripped instantly and each sunk into their own bubble bath. It was bliss!

With a wry smile Sirius wondered aloud sounding almost drunk, "Hope Remus and Pete are having it so good!"

"Now all we need is fire whisky!" James chortled and Sirius let loose his bark-like laugh.

"You're such a prat James! We still have some! It does more than disinfect injuries, ya know!" Sirius bounded out of his tub, stalkers and grabbed them the bottle. They had just enough left. "We need glasses," he chuckled now and the room provided these too. With Sirius flourish, naked, red with diluted blood and still seriously injured he poured them two very generous measures of the golden liquid, handed one to James and hopped back into his own bubble bath. It was too much. They laughed about what a pear-shaped, tits-up night it had been, about how the hell they had managed to get out of it all alive. They laughed about how Pete had a habit of never getting injured and never being around when the rewards came in, they laughed about how James had to carry a naked Remus back to the Shrieking Shack and how they'd made it back just in time! They laughed now mostly out of thanks that Remus had not been killed by Death Eaters nor killed them! He would be in hospital by now, safe and cared for and hopefully sleeping.

"Maybe we shouldn't tell them this part ya know Prongs!" Sirius indicated his tub with a dip of his head then with a nod toward the fire finally he gently swirled his tumbler to indicate his whiskey.

"Somehow, I don't think they would appreciate it much Pads, well...at least not as much as we are!" James was resting his head back on the rounded rim of his tub, his glasses were foggy now and rested on his forehead. The fire whiskey was doing its job and he felt himself relaxing.

"I don't believe they would Pads!" Sirius laughed his happy, barking laugh.

"I'm thirsty," James said and he sat up, sloshing the water right over the rim of the tub, turned on the tap and drank from it until he could drink no more.

Sirius copied James drinking his own delicious water until he could drink no more. Fire whiskey had its purposes but it would never replace water.

James and Sirius agreed that at least the bubble baths, the roaring fire, fluffy towels, clean clothes and Fire Whisky would have to remain a secret that would take to their graves. "To the victors, the spoils!" Sirius toasted.

"What, no toothbrush?" James said sounding disappointed in the Room's service. But it never failed them and he simply waited as these materialized as well. "What? Doesn't everybody brush their teeth in the tub?"

It was James who noticed first, the cuts on his hands were healing properly, he lifted his bubble covered leg to examine a deep gash on his shin and it was almost completely gone. He examined his arms and felt his face and his wounds were healing. He looked over at Sirius's face, which had a wicked gash over his left eye and nodded for him to submerge. Sirius did and when he surfaced he touched his previously injured face. It felt better and he looked at James who was looking almost completely healed.

"Well, I'll be damned! The room has out done itself! Wish we'd known this sooner Prongs; we wouldn't have nearly as many scars and I'd be even more beautiful!" Sirius barked, poured himself some more fire whiskey and tossed the nearly empty bottle to James.

Looking good as new and feeling better than they'd felt since Mary's attack, they thanked the Room of Requirement and left to visit the house elves. They missed breakfast and were both starving. They would eat, find Pete and then go see how Remus was faring. It was half ten when they reached the kitchens and were greeted by happy house-elves bearing trays of food and tea. They were invited to sit in the place of honor and were served kippers with potatoes O'Brian, eggs, toast, fresh pumpkin juice and strong black coffee. They helped themselves to thirds before thanking the house elves for their hospitality then decided to check on Remus before finding Pete. They found Pete anyway. He was with Remus, sitting next to his bed fast asleep. Remus was awake though and looked at them with a pleading expression.

"We have no reason to believe that you hurt anyone Remus so relax." Sirius supplied in his quietest voice before Remus had time to say a word. "We'll go over the details when we can't be overheard, OK?"

Remus visibly relaxed but handed them The Prophet anyway:

 **DEATH EATERS SPOTTED IN HOGSMEADE**

 **MINISTRY OF MAGIC FLUMMOXED!**

"That's just the front-page story, check out page three," Remus said.

 **Werewolf Spotted in Hogsmeade by**

 **Death Eaters Who Were Spotted in Hogsmeade!**

"Well, we're home free then. Who's gonna believe that story! They're always flummoxed! Werewolf indeed!" Sirius laughed with mock jocularity causing Remus to chuckle.

"It was a close shave though gents and Dumbledore will have questions," Remus worried aloud.

"We'll just blame it on Snivellus, Sirius added. "Wanna-be-death eater trying to get you in trouble and all that; he's wanted to shout about that since, well you know, since I nearly got him killed. Remus, if we deliver it well Dumbledore might buy it."

"You're not supposed to know Sirius!" Remus corrected and looked to James. "Well ... how will we get out of this one Prongs?"

Just then Pete woke up. "Where the bloody hell have you two been? I've been worried sick!" Pete complained.

"Looks like, Pete! Worried sick, were you? You were asleep!" Sirius hated it when Pete said stuff like this. He didn't think that Pete had ever been worried sick about anyone except himself and perhaps Mary.

"Oh, alright not worried sick but worried. I figured you'd come here eventually so, ya know, I waited. I missed breakfast waiting! Healed you already has she? Ask many questions? Did you bluff your way out of it with Madam Pomfrey?" Pete was smiling like he took pride in his friend's ability to lie.

"Shush Pete! We'll talk about it later, K?" Sirius held his finger to his lips to emphasize their need for Pete to shut up. "Go grab some chow from the kitchens. We'll discuss all of this when Pomfrey discharges Remus. By the way, the kippers are excellent this morning."

Pete rose from his chair, smiled at his three best friends and left for the kitchens without a backward glance.

"You alright Remus, really?" James asked.

"I'm fine but I'll be a lot better when I get some answers. What was he on about being healed you already?" he nodded to the door Pete just exited through. "You weren't here so who healed you? "How bad were you? And what exactly happened last night?" He waited, looking at them for answers but realized that they would not say here. "Right, well, she said I could leave at noon so we maybe we could go for a long walk and you could fill me in? All the details! After, we should sit under our tree, get some sun, hang with The Minions, feed the giant squid… do something…normal." he finished hopefully.

Just as he finished, Lily burst through the door and made a bee-line for Remus's bed. He looked at James and Sirius, they all rolled their eyes and then James whispered, "Maybe you'll have to wait for our account of last night just a bit longer."

"Morning boys! Slept late, did we?" She nodded to James and Sirius. "How are you Remus? Have you seen The Prophet?" Lily got straight to the heart of the matter.

"I'm fine Lily. I have seen the Prophet but not really read it, wanna fill me in?"

"You weren't seen by the Death Eaters, were you?" Lily whispered.

"Not here Flower, later eh?" Sirius corrected quietly.

"Sorry, you're right. I don't know what I was thinking. When do you get out?"

"Noon," was all Remus could think to say. His mind was a whirlwind of worry.

"Lily, why don't we get out of Madam Pomfrey's way? Remus, we'll meet you by the lake under the tree just after noon, OK?" James said pointedly. He was trying to head her off and Remus appreciated it.

"Sure. See you in a bit then. Go on, get outta here. I'm fine Lily, really." Remus waved his hands as if he were shewing chickens. They rose to leave, Lily bent down and kissed Remus on the cheek.

"See you there then," she said and she gave him a radiant smile.

James glared at Remus with a look like _what are you playing at?_ but then punched him in the arm and said, "See you in a bit Moony." Then he took hold of Lily by the shoulders, spun her around, steered her away from Remus's bedside toward the door and Sirius followed them as she was deliberately, somewhat forcefully but expertly escorted out.

It was a glorious autumn day! The sun was warm but not hot, the air had that look about it when the angle between the earth and the sun became shallow and it smelled like drying leaves. The breeze off the lake brought hints of the forest and the giant squid was gliding along the water catching offerings with its tentacles. The Gryffindors were under their beech tree leaning on its trunk or laying on blankets. They had books with them but no one seemed to be doing any studying. This is how Remus found his favorite people in the world; whole, happy and together.

"Remus!" Dor shouted his name as he approached. She was lying on a blanket looking his way and she sat up, her golden hair falling around her fabulous face and Remus felt his heart skip a beat. She patted the space next to her and he ambled over and flopped down. "I like to sleep in on weekends too but you make me look like an amateur! I thought you'd never wake up! We've been here for hours. Are you hungry? What a question; of course, you're hungry!" Dor looked directly at Remus and then she winked. He wasn't sure why she winked except that she had treats. _That must be it. Why would she think he must be hungry?_ _Because he "slept in" and missed breakfast?_ _Maybe, because like her, he was always hungry?_ _Surely it was something like that._

"What ya got for me Dor?" Remus deflected easily as he could always eat.

"Chocolate. I ordered it from Honeydukes by owl post and it arrived with the morning mail. Help yourself." She reached a hand out bearing a gold foil box from Honeydukes. Remus helped himself knowing chocolate was good for what ailed him.

"It's my favorite Dor, thanks!"

"My pleasure Remus. I had to fight the rest of these losers off just to make sure there would be enough left for you!" Dorcas Meadows grinned from ear to ear, set the box on the blanket between them, laid back down and closed her eyes. Remus's heart was now doing the fox trot and he was sure everyone could hear it. Dorcas Meadows. How long had he longed for Dorcas Meadows? He was gifted this moment to just look at her lovely face without her knowing. Maybe the time remaining of their weekend wouldn't be too bad after all.

They stayed outside all day. They walked around the lake all together talking mostly about unimportant things. No one remembered to mention The Prophet with such a fine fall day and friends to distract them. They wandered to the Quidditch pitch and watched the Ravenclaw team practice. Ravenclaw and Gryffindor had always had a good relationship and the Ravenclaw Quidditch team knew that Gryffindor would never spy on them; that would be cheating and ruin the whole point of a good match. Besides the Gryffindors were too proud to cheat, they just enjoyed good Quidditch and Ravenclaw were very good. They made their way to Hagrid's cabin and found him shelling fresh fall peas. They visited for a while, tossed sticks for Fang who, though still a puppy, was growing as if an Engorgement spell were on him. His paws were nearly the size of Lily's face! They admired progress of Hagrid's Halloween Pumpkins; they were nearing the size of boulders! They walked back to the castle by way of the Greenhouses saying hello to Professors Sprout and Slughorn who were collecting the rest of their recently harvested Sopophorous Beans. The entire day they could see the Aurors keeping watch but at a discrete distance.

By five o'clock they were all hungry and headed for the Great Hall. Dinner would be splendid and Remus could hear all about the events of the full moon later.

But everyone in the castle was not in attendance for dinner in the Great Hall. It was Sunday and in the Slytherin common room Severus Snape was brooding. He was a brooder and brooders brood. The attack on Mary McDonald had been … amateurish. Mulcibur always was an idiot. Severus knew that Mulcibur secretly fancied Mary McDonald but she had rejected his advances. Apparently, she knew he was an idiot too. Severus lips curled up at the corners of his thin-lipped mouth just at that thought. If a Mudblood found Mulcibur objectionable what of a proper witch? It was regrettable that Mudbloods like Mary were beautiful and talented; they could be a wizard's undoing as he well knew. Still, cursing her repeatedly wasn't likely to bring her around. Now it seemed like Mulcibur had a personal vendetta against Mary McDonald; to make her an example to the other Mudbloods.

Thanks to his stupidity there were Aurors in the castle and everyone was on high alert. This would make recruitment at Hogwarts all the more difficult. To recruit in a place protected by Albus Dumbledore had been difficult enough before the Aurors; with Dumbledore, it was his way or the highway as the saying goes. If only he could have stopped them before they blundered on. Hauling her off right in front of The Fat Lady!

Avery was no better; ambition combined with low IQ was a dangerous mix. Well, at least the Dark Lord had punished them. It was not their place to execute poorly planned attacks; planning should be left to the experts. There were reasons for the chain of command not to mention task delegation. The Dark Lord had two nefarious wizards who were responsible for planning; Lucius Malfoy and Rodolphus Lestrange.

And then there was Bellatrix Black. Bellatrix was not the planning type. She was unpredictable, recklessly impetuous and yet The Dark Lord favored her, indulged her really and it only encouraged her to take greater risks. Her skills with a wand were exceeded only by her utter lack of morals. She went on any mission she felt like and did exactly, as she pleased. She was feared. Not just by Mudbloods and blood traitors but by her own as well. Severus envied her wand work but not her … instability. He'd have to close off that thought. The Dark Lord would not be pleased with such thoughts. Not because they weren't true but because they humanized Severus. Still, it was far better to have Bellatrix on his side than on theirs; Severus had no desire to face her in a duel.

Dueling was not Severus's forte but he wasn't recruited for his dueling skills. His excellence in Potion making exceeded many adult witches and wizards in The Dark Lord's ranks not to mention his skill in Legillimency which was exceeded only by the Dark Lord, himself and perhaps Dumbledore. Then there was his vast knowledge of the Dark Arts and his talent for inventing new, deadly spells. These, were his gifts. True, he was young and still in school but his interest was born from hatred and desperation. Occlumency began when he was very young as did the surfacing of his gifts. He'd first learned he could close off his feelings, thoughts and memories with his own mother and of course, his father. Thoughts of both his parents made his stomach turn. His mother was weak and his father was…well, his father was a drunk and a bully. He closed off these rising memories as well. Then, this ability which might have only had to do with his wretched family situation was confirmed with Lily. He could close off his thoughts of her so well he was certain she'd never known how he felt about his Lily. However, she was also the only person on whom he seemed unable to perform Legillimency. Prior to his recruitment, she was the only person on whom he'd tried this so at first, he didn't realize he was a born Legilimens. Still, it perplexed him. Why was Lily immune? He knew, Dumbledore would say it was because of love and perhaps in this instance, Dumbledore would've been correct.

On a lighter note however, now he had a purpose and a fellowship of sorts, in his service to The Dark Lord. He was to recruit new members from Hogwarts and his first recruit had been a useful addition. Regulus Black was living up to expectations and that spoke volumes for Severus's ability to discriminate and select only the best.

His seven-day suspension had hardly been a punishment. Going home, now that would have been a punishment but Dumbledore knew this. Furthermore, while Dumbledore sent him home, he never checked to see if Severus actually went home. The whole subject of Dumbledore was another confusion. Severus respected Dumbledore and Dumbledore had always been kind to him. When questioned, Dumbledore did not ever try Legilimency and Severus in turn did not use his Occlumency either. He and Regulus answered Dumbledore's questions honestly and Dumbledore believed them. Neither he nor Regulus took part in Mary McDonald's attack. They'd come to stop it but Dumbledore was obliged to suspend them all the same as they were caught out in the middle of the whole sorry business and it suited both Regulus and himself perfectly. Regulus returned to Grimmauld Place to parents who adored him and Severus secretly spent his time brewing for The Dark Lord. He'd improved the brewing of several potions, for healing their own, for making captives talk and most especially for inflicting unimaginable cruelty. The Great Mansion where they were headquartered had a magnificent dungeon laboratory. It had been a pleasant way to spend a week; immersed in the heady act of brewing.

Now that he was back however he was to continue to nurture of Regulus Black and recruit new members which he did easily within his own House. Recruiting from the others would likely prove fruitless but even attempting this was being interrupted thanks to roaming Aurors. His comrades should have been more discrete, being spotted in Hogsmeade! It was a full moon! They never should have planned a recruitment meeting during a full moon! They were lucky that Lupin didn't turn them all! Lupin? What was Dumbledore thinking ... letting a werewolf attend Hogwarts! He should be taken out and shot!

If Dumbledore had a weakness it was believing in the best of people and within this weakness was his absurd notion that people deserved a second chance. Somehow Severus would like to be the one who found a way to exploit this weakness on behalf of the Dark Lord. He fanaticized about Lord Voldemort's gratitude should he find a way to undermine Dumbledore. While this was not his mission he was working on it all the same. Fortunately, as far as The Dark Lord was concerned, Severus Snape had no such weaknesses. He'd commended Severus for getting Mulcibur and Avery back to the common room and Severus got to enjoy The Dark Lord's wroth directed at others. It had been glorious!

He'd never been on the receiving end of his Lord's wroth, yet and never planned to be. Still, it seemed that even The Dark Lord had a weakness. Fear of Dumbledore. Thus, Severus's secret mission: the undoing of Albus Dumbledore. It was ironic that Mulcibur and Avery had unwittingly helped his secret mission along, Dumbledore had been shaken by Mary's attack and this was to Severus's benefit. It was always easier to learn about another person's doubts and failings when they were shaken. Dumbledore asked for help from The Ministry and that, in and of itself, showed weakness as, it was common knowledge that Dumbledore didn't think much of the Ministry but he thought enough of Ministry Aurors to invite them into his school.

Severus had a weakness as well but it had seemed The Dark Lord remained unaware at least, thus far. His Occlumency protected him even under the scrutiny of the two greatest Legilimens living. He had been able to keep his secrets from both Dumbledore and The Dark Lord which must make him, Severus Snape the greatest living Occlumens! This thought brought another smile to his lips. Severus knew full development of this skill would be essential if he were to remain alive in service to The Dark Lord; couldn't have him seeing that! Voldemort did not believe in love. Well, at least he did not believe that love was a strength. Yes, Severus desired to serve The Dark Lord but he had no intention of dying in that service so he practiced Occlumency in all his affairs.

This was the skill he'd identified in Regulus instantly. Helping Regulus to develop was pleasurable, like dueling of the minds. It wasn't brewing but it was interesting and it was rare for Severus to find an intellect to match his own. If nothing else, Severus was cleverer than most. Regulus was a natural. He must have many _feelings_ that need concealing from both his parents, specifically the feeling of being abandoned by his elder brother! The Black brothers were like the two sides of a coin; Regulus learning to conceal his emotions while Sirius put his on display. It was a shame that The Dark Lord would not have the set but Sirius Black was ill-suited; he wore his defiant nature like a badge of honor and his rebelliousness frequently got the best of him. All emotions had their uses but needed mastering. Sirius Black was too lazy to master his emotions, or too weak. What Sirius Black saw as defiance was little more than lack of self-control. He was a filthy Blood Traitor, Sirius Black. Blood Traitors were a conundrum but, Severus believed in the end they would lose, everything.

But thoughts of Blood Traitors brought up unwanted images of Potter and The Marauders! He would never understand how a wizard like Potter or Black, born to a pureblood family and heir to their family legacy could side with the down trodden. Pettigrew and Lupin exemplified the down trodden. Unbidden, Lily's image swam before his eyes and Severus frowned. Lily… She was his only love and he'd lost her. He'd lost self-control, control over his own emotions: jealousy and loathing of James Potter. That alone was shameful. He'd been victimized by his own spell adding enough to his public humiliation. Up-side-down under Potter's wand! In his fury and humiliation, emotions got the upper hand and he'd lashed out. Lily came to his defense and that only added to his humiliation. Then he completely lost his head and shouted the unforgivable word at Lily, for half the school to hear. It was his worst memory, calling Lily a Mudblood and it was dangerous, it made him vulnerable.

He knew now she would never understand him. What he did for The Dark Lord he did in part because he loved her. This was what happened when emotions were allowed. She was only trying to help but she'd added to his humiliation, coming to his defense with the Marauders looking on. His Occlumency utterly failed him that day by the lake! He would never again let his feelings for Lily see the light of day! Never! Were, The Dark Lord to discover his carefully concealed feelings for Lily, he would have a powerful weapon indeed and he'd use it. It was never going to happen; Severus would not let it happen, she was already in enough danger! No... everything Severus did in service to The Dark Lord would be to protect Lily, even if Lily would never understand.

Lily would be in the great hall right now, possibly sitting next to Potter!

Every time he'd seen Lily lately she was with him Potter! She sat next to him in Potions and walked beside him in the corridors. She even permitted him to touch her, to put his arm around her shoulders. It was breaking his heart. Heartbreak was infuriating and fury was a weakness! Severus would find the opportunity and when he did, he would see to Potter himself.


	8. Chapter Eight: Hogsmeade

**Chapter 8 Hogsmeade**

For Remus, dinner in the great hall on Sunday evening was delicious and full of surprises. Dumbledore announced that their much anticipated Hogsmeade weekend would not be cancelled. Even now, Aurors were being stationed in Hogsmeade, and would remain there for the duration to protect everyone from Death Eaters. According to The Daily Prophet, evening edition, the Death Eaters in Hogsmeade were accompanied by Fenrir Greyback, the fiendish werewolf who was responsible for Remus's furry little problem. Tonight however, it was due to Greyback that Remus was off the proverbial hook and would not be discovered by the population of Hogwarts. Remus had been saved by circumstances. Still, he might have to face his Headmaster and, in that case, Remus would have to lie. But Remus would lie to protect his friends. He would gladly come out, if it were needed to keep James, Sirius and Pete from harm. But just like everything else during this full moon, tragedy was circumvented by serendipity; it was not a gift to go unappreciated or unused.

The Marauders shared a whole half hour alone in their dorm and Remus heard the whole story of the previous night's _trials_. He was horrified that he had broken out of the Shrieking Shack and seeing this the Marauders assured him that next month they would have a fool-proof plan well in place ahead of time. It was always like this. They skirted the line and they would vow to do better.

Even back when Sirius betrayed him to Snape, Sirius vowed to do better and Remus believed him. Remus eventually came around and forgave him. Remus knew he could have killed Severus Snape and subsequently been sent to Azkaban. It had taken Remus's forgiveness to convince James to forgive Sirius. James had only ever been angry with Sirius once and it tore the Marauders apart! Remus knew that his life without the Marauders was, in truth, meaningless. Even though it made liars out of all of them he needed his friends and he would lie for them, he would die for them and he would likely forgive them anything, just as he'd forgiven Sirius.

Sirius was a brilliant, emotional and complicated wizard having lived a terrible life at Grimmauld Place. Sometimes, Remus thought that he was occasionally a bit mad and he put that horrible night down to a moment of reckless madness on Sirius's part. Sirius had always loathed Snape and Remus believed him when Sirius confessed he only meant to scare the hell out of Snape but that night, like the recent full moon had all gone wrong. Who could be raised by the Walburga and Orion Black and not end up a bit mad? Considering the Blacks, Remus believed that Sirius was as sane as he could be and with every year Sirius had come to direct his "madness" into bettering himself and making every effort to contribute to the efforts of anyone opposing the Dark Side. Monty and Euphie had been instrumental in Sirius's recovery. Maybe Regulus's recent choices stemmed from a similar dreadful home life. Much was expected of him now as the Black Family Heir. Perhaps, like Sirius, he was a bit cracked and maybe, just maybe, like Sirius, could be saved.

But Sirius had things that Regulus did not have, family and friends who truly loved him. Remus loved Sirius and therefore, forgave him. Eventually, the Marauders healed. They lied to protect each other. They'd broken wizarding law to protect each other. They lied to Albus Dumbledore to protect each other and somehow, that felt worse than breaking Wizard law. And still, they continued to do so. They skirted the line, walked the razors edge and did the best they could. Somehow it seemed to Remus that all their difficulties, all their law breaking and lying stemmed from knowing about him but it also brought out their best. Apparently, it brought out both. Courage and loyalty, hand in hand with deceit.

Tonight, they did not utilize the Room of Requirement rather, they spent the evening in their common room; doing what was expected of them and being glad for it. They passed their time together and enjoyed being young even though they knew tomorrow would probably conspire to age them with some new horror. But, at least just for tonight, they were all OK and these days that was something.

Monday morning the Daily Prophet ran a series of articles detailing the events in Hogsmeade and to his horror, a full page on how to kill a werewolf. Remus felt terrible guilt about possibly having to lie to Albus Dumbledore while living under his protection but much to his astonishment, Dumbledore never asked for his account. Remus felt guiltier still that Dumbledore trusted him enough to not bother asking. Remus's name remained absent in Ministry's published registry of Greyback's living

wizards-turned-werewolf and it was all down to Dumbledore's influence.

Every Gryffindor received post from their family, except for Sirius, who received a letter from the Potter's. These letters begged them to follow every safety precaution Dumbledore and The Ministry imposed upon them no matter how irksome they might find them to be. Lily and Mary did not receive such letters from their parents because their parents didn't know there was a war in the wizarding world and both witches agreed they never would tell. But, Lily did get a mention in James's letter.

Lily found this quite generous, especially considering her behavior towards their son for the last five years about which she was certain they knew. James and Lily had only been on speaking terms for a fraction of the time they'd known each other and only this year, had they addressed one another by their given names! They were, apparently slow learners, James and Lily. But the Potter's loved their son and Lily felt sure they also knew he and Lily were becoming _friends_. _A page had turned._ Surely, they knew he had a soft spot for Lily. Truth be told, Lily had a spot that was growing softer for James as well.

Sunday had been a wonderful day and over breakfast, Lily allowed herself to indulge in recalling every detail. She'd spent all day outside with her magical friends just doing whatever tickled their fancy. She'd actually felt relaxed around the Marauders for the whole day. The old Lily who always had her guard up seemed like a stranger to her now. _What had she found to be so objectionable before?_ She'd spent quality time alone with Sirius and she'd spent quality time alone with James. Well not alone exactly but they had had separate quiet conversations.

Sirius had taken to calling her, Flower. Lily was pleased: Sirius liked her well enough to gift her with a nickname. James had gone down to the pitch to have a word with the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain leaving Lily and Sirius relatively alone. She could remember their conversation word for word ...

 _"So, Flower, you've decided to not continue hating us, have you?"_

 _"Yes Padfoot, I have decided that."_

 _"Well you're not as bad as I remember. It's good you gave Snivellus the boot!"_

 _"It is. But Sirius, we were friends, at least we were before Hogwarts. I'm not sure what we were after. He was a great partner in Potions though! He was the person who first told me I was a witch, you see. He told me all about Hogwarts and the train and everything really. We used to spend all of our summer time together talking about this world, ya know, the world of magic. I even asked him the first summer we were friends about witches like me. I asked him point blank and he said it didn't matter... my being Muggle-born. Maybe before Hogwarts it didn't matter but once we got to school, well, obviously it did matter. I'm glad the pretense is over though, I was sure I'd hear a lot of "told you so's"."_

 _"Well, you won't hear any from me. I know what it feels like Flower, to be betrayed. My parents did that and a lot worse to me, but I found friendship and family with James." Sirius was leaning back on one elbow while chewing a long blade of green grass and looking out over the grounds. Then he turned and looked right into Lily's eyes. "I owe the Potter's my life and I don't exaggerate at all. They showed me what a family is meant to be. My parents know nothing of love. They don't even truly love Reg but he doesn't see it. He thinks obedience earns love. He doesn't understand, you see; love can't be earned, it can only be given."_

 _"You know, you're smarter than you look!" Lily risked saying._

 _"You're nicer than you look!"_

" _Touché. I have a horrible sister, Petunia. I think she would get along well with your mum if she didn't know she is a witch."_

 _"That would be a laugh, your sister and my mother, friends ... You'll have to come around and meet them, the Potter's I mean, not Walburga! James's parents already know you're the witch who's been breaking their son's heart for years! I'm sure you'd be welcome."_

 _"Oh ... Well that's terrible and weird but nice. In my defense, James was an obnoxious prat around me. I thought he was the most arrogant person I'd ever met, even more arrogant than you!"_

 _"No one is more arrogant than I am, Flower! James however, is the least arrogant person I know. I can still hear you yelling, 'Arrogant, bullying toe-rag, hexing everyone just because you can, messing up your hair so it looks like you just jumped off your broom! ...' "I thought that you were funny! Cruel, but funny."_

 _"Well, I suppose I was cruel. James isn't at all who I thought he was. Maybe I do miss the obvious?"_

" _You do. But to be fair, he couldn't help showing off whenever you were around so he was a prat. In his defense, he was only ever like that when he was around you and you were with Snivellus. He doesn't like Snape. Come to think of it, nor do I. In fact, I doubt Snape has any friends outside Slytherin. James is a good judge of character but he's also just a person. He was jealous, see. You were always with Snape. That's why he hexed him every chance he got. Now I think he'd hex him for hurting you."_

 _"He would wouldn't he. But Snape didn't really hurt me, he just confirmed my suspicions. I never cared about him that way so … it was a loss but not one that I wasn't beginning to expect. I never expected this though, becoming friends with you lot! Wow! Things really change, don't they?"_

 _"Yes, Flower, some things do change...not everything...but some things."_

James returned from chatting with the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain, their conversation ended and Fanged Frisbee began. They taught Lily and Mary the rules and how to properly throw a Frisbee. Fanged Frisbee was a mad game because the Frisbee had fangs! Even good players risked injury. Apparently, risk was the game's appeal but Wizards were weird about risk and danger; they craved it! It was of course, the novice who suffered most, much to everyone's delight. Mary and Lily certainly suffered. Mary took to safety behind her own shield charm and Lily took to using her wand to direct its movements. She was a witch after all and it was far safer that way. Mars and Alice were quite good at this wizard sport. Finally, they gave up the official game and just tossed the fiendish Frisbee around while they walked the grounds. They tossed it to the giant squid but after the squid tried to eat the thing, it took a bite out of the squid. The squid tossed it back with such velocity they refrained from including the cephalopod again.

Couples were informally forming. It was easier to get to know someone better when you were with a group of friends. Pete was unashamed to take Mary's hand and she allowed this to everyone's surprise. Remus and Dor were, subtle but walked side by side occasionally sharing private words, heads close together. Alice and Frank were a well-established couple and went everywhere hand in hand. Sirius flirted shamelessly with Mars and she gave as good as she got. It was hard to tell with those two because they were both natural flirts and they were both beautiful. It seemed however, they flirted differently with each other than they did with other people.

James walked close to Lily, occasionally brushing his arm against hers and she did the same. It was all very discrete and somehow that made it all the more tantalizing. The space between them was narrowing. It was nice, just walking together, listening to their friends, talking about Quidditch and not yelling at each other. They both smiled a lot. By dinner time Lily's face had smiled so much it actually hurt and she was both pleased and bothered by that. She should smile more often. Now, they sat here, together in the great hall in their informal couples while they read the Daily Prophet's absurd articles and opened their post.

"James, could your owl take a letter from me to your parents. I'd like to thank them for thinking of me."

"Of course, Lily, I was gonna write them anyway. We'll write today and let Mighty deliver it this evening, alright?"

"That'd be great James. I need an owl, ya know? For the gold, I'd rather have a kneazle but they don't deliver mail...and Petunia would always make such a fuss when I would so much as mention an owl. She'd never know the difference with a kneazle. You should've heard her when my mail would come, _'filthy, horrid beasts in the house! You're a freak!'"_

"Well, maybe she will marry this overbearing Muggle, what's his name, Vermin?" James replied, his smirk firmly in place.

"Very funny. It's Vernon and I hope she does. They're perfectly suited to each other."

"You know, you could use Mighty whenever you wanted. I'm sure he and Petunia would become real chums!"

"I could send her a Howler and really make her day! Then again, Vermin might not marry her if he learned about me and then I would be stuck with her … so, maybe not my best idea."

"Hey you lot, we have Potions in ten minutes," Dor shouted in her best Beater's voice!

By Friday, Professor Diggle was working with the sixth years on resisting the Imperius Curse. It seemed obvious to the sixth year Gryffindors this was a result of Mary's attack. Professor Dumbledore, predictably, approved this unorthodox lesson and according to Diggle, the staff were all in agreement that willing students would be placed under the Imperius Curse in class. This class was to be observed by off duty teachers, the Aurors and Dumbledore himself.

Mary was certain Professor Diggle had been helping Professor Dumbledore with her memories. Professor Diggle asked her privately, if she would be comfortable describing to the class what it feels like to be Imperiused. He said if she did, she should just feel free to speak up whenever she felt ready. Mary concluded this knowledge was for the greater good and gave her description to a very attentive group but she refused to be Imperiused again and no one could blame her.

"It feels like bliss. Like heaven. Like you've not a care in the world," Mary began. "It terrified me because it was impossible for me to resist, to let those feelings go. I never even thought to muster my own will or reason. I never even thought! I'd prefer the Cruciatus Curse really because I think at least I could fight the pain. Even Avada Kedavra is probably better as your dead before you know it but to have all free will taken away by another and to have no thought of getting it back...well for me it was horrible. It left me feeling ashamed and cowardly. The caster could make us do anything! Anything at all!"

The classroom was stunned into silence. When, finally, some came to themselves, they all volunteered to be Imperiused straight away. The thinking was if any part of a person could recognize that this blissful feeling was not normal maybe they could fight it off. Better still, fight off the caster with a well-placed hex before it took hold.

After Defense, the rest of the day's classes seemed anticlimactic. Dinner was devoured and the students were building up to go to Hogsmeade. The sixth year Gryffindors and Frank spent the evening outside. They all took some time in the air. Those who did not have brooms of their own used the school brooms or were lent brooms by their Quidditch team. While Lily did theoretically, know how to fly, she never spent much time doing it; she did not have a broom and she lived with Muggles. James offered to fly with Lily, not on the same broom but right next to her and before she knew it the whole team volunteered to be her flight guard.

It was absurd really but wasn't all real fun absurd? Lily insisted that Mary join her in the air so with Lily and Mary in the center, Mars and Dor took front and back, Remus below, Pete above and James and Sirius on their sides they must have looked like a human cage. Lily was certain that were she to get into trouble no one was close enough to her to do much about it but she really didn't care. The attack on Mary had brought out a recklessness in Lily, a closet warrior that she hadn't known was there. She'd never been a particularly cautious child but lately she felt fierce! Like courting disaster, just a bit. When darkness began to fall the brooms were returned to their rightful place and they trooped up to their common room to hang-out until drowsiness set in which didn't happen until just before midnight. They parted company agreeing to meet at nine in the morning in the common room.

Saturday morning finally arrived and Mars led the Gryffindor witches skipping down the spiral staircase to the common room just before nine hollering, "Hogsmeade Weekend!"

"It's about time!" shouted Dor. "I've been getting castle fever!"

"I want a butterbeer and I want to buy a new Quik Quotes Quill and I want to Pre-Christmas shop!" Lily joined in.

"Pre-Christmas? We have almost three months until Christmas Lily, why not pre-Halloween shop, it's less than a month away!" Alice countered.

"I just want to walk around and hold Pete's hand! Show those Slytherin that I'm not afraid of them!" Mary said confidently.

"Go Mary! Pete will be so pleased," added Dor. "He's had it bad for you for a while now."

Just then the Marauders led by Frank made their appearance and the whole group made their way out the portrait hole. They skipped breakfast in the Great Hall as there were plenty of places to eat in Hogsmeade. Filch was waiting for them, he checked to see that they were all still on the permitted list; looked Sirius over twice and checked the detention with McGonagall list twice, just to be sure. He warned them that they were not to return with any contraband.

"Yeah right," chortled Sirius. "Like we'd ever bring in contraband."

There were Aurors everywhere but no one minded. They weren't Death Eaters after all, they were students with nothing to hide at the moment so they just carried on normally. Besides there were loads of better places for a snog than Hogsmeade, out in the open, in front of anyone. It seemed that even the Slytherins needed to come out of their dungeon sometime and Sirius couldn't resist.

"Look at them, they all look like vampires. It's a well-known fact that lack of sun makes hate easier."

"Really Pads, well that explains Walburga!" James teased but it was still true.

"Filch could do with some sunshine!" Pete added.

"He certainly could," Lily giggled.

"Wow, check it out, even the teachers are enjoying a bit of recreation. I can picture Flitwick and Sprout having fun but McGonagall and Diggle don't seem the type." Dor whispered. Sure enough, their professors were ahead of them by quite a bit, walking toward the High Street. They were just entering the Three Broomsticks as the group of ten rounded the last bend before Hogsmeade proper.

"Fancy a butterbeer anyone?" asked Mars. "This I gotta see!"

Madam Rosemerta, the lovely young proprietress, was levitating a tray of drinks toward their professors when they walked in. They took a booth off toward the back of the pub with a clear view of the door and the table their teachers were currently relaxing in.

"Well, at least she hasn't let her hair down!" Sirius nodded toward Professor McGonagall who as ever was a model of decorum, hair tightly bound. "There are some adults who can always be relied on."

Rosemerta came to their table after she delivered drinks to the teaching staff and smiled widely. "Well it's about time Marauders! I'd begun to think you forgot where to get the best butterbeer around. Stopped sneaking out of school, have we?"

"Ah now Rosy, don't give us up like that, there's teachers here!" flirted Sirius as he rolled his eyes toward their professors.

"What'll it be everybody? Oh, and by the way Frank, congrats on your Headboyship!"

"Thanks Rose. I'll have your Meade of the day. Not a chance Marauders, I am the only person of age here so nothin' doin'!" Frank glared at each of them in turn.

"Oi Longbottom! We are of age!" Dor corrected indicating herself and Mars.

Rosemerta tempting them with a list of beverages was rebuffed by James. "Not today Rose, thanks all the same, we are on our guard today. We'll even save you lot if you get tipsy and need defending!"

"We won't need defending James!" Mars corrected him.

"We'll be defending you all the same, whether you need it or not!" Sirius insisted.

"That'll be the day James, when I need you lot to save my arse!" Frank said with an amused smile on his lips. "Sorry Dor, Mars. I didn't realize I was among other adults."

"Apology accepted." Dor replied for the both of them then in a whisper, "They should just lay them on the table and measure."

They enjoyed drinks and food. Madam Rosmerta offered a limited menu but her offerings were tasty. Rather than order ten brunch plates they ordered five different hors d'oeuvres and shared, saving room for the inevitable goodies that they would purchase today from one shop or another. Their professors left but before they did they stopped by The Marauder's table to say hello and probably check what they were drinking.

"Minnie!" Sirius barked.

Professor McGonagall maintained her composure, they would dance this dance until Mr. Black finished school and secretly, she never minded it one bit. "I should put you in detention Mr. Black! Or perhaps I will let the Head Boy dock Gryffindor house points, or one of these two prefects present could perform their duty." She shared the evil eye with all of them glaring in particular at Frank, Lily and Remus.

"Ten points from Gryffindor Mr. Black for cheeking The Deputy Headmistress, Head of Your House and Your favorite teacher! Honestly, I should make it twenty."

"Thank you, Miss Evans. Ten will do. Have a lovely day and stick together will you, can't be too careful these days. We should get on and let these young people be. I have supplies to purchase at Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop and Filius you said you needed to stop by Dervish and Bangs? Busy day, lots to do. Oh, and Marauders, hide your Zonko's purchases well, will you? Mr. Filch is in a sour mood today."

"I think I'm in love!" Sirius moaned, just loud enough for McGonagall to hear as they turned to leave. "If only I was thirty years older..."

Eventually they too left The Three Broomsticks. They said, 'All right?' to Hagrid. He'd ducked in for a magnum of Rosmerta's finest mulled Meade just as they were leaving. They saw all their friends from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw cheerfully walking the High Street. No one from Slytherin House had come into The Three Broomsticks while they were there. It was puzzling and prompted James to wonder out loud.

"I bet they went to The Hog's Head. We should stop by, ya now, see what we can see? Say hello to Abe."

"That's if you can see through the windows at all. I think he keeps them grimy on purpose. It's like he doesn't want any patrons at all!" Mars added frowning.

"I think it's meant more for discretion Mars," offered Sirius, "caters to a very specific crowd, Aberforth."

"Or to keep respectable folks out!" countered Dor. "I hear he's a nice bloke, Aberforth, but I'd never drink in his Pub. Is it true that he's Dumbledore's brother?"

"That he is Dor. I think he keeps his pub a certain way to help keep an eye on the dodgy witches and wizards who frequent the place. Keeps his brother informed, know what I mean?" Remus offered. "And your maxim is about to be tested Dor, we're goin' in. It is safe to drink in there, we've spent plenty of gold in Abe's pub."

"I'm sure you have Remus." Dor said smiling up at him. "Still, do we have to go in?"

James answered for the lot. "Well, I'd like a shifty. Don't you wonder who's in there today Marauders? It's not likely Dumbledore's gonna share that with the likes of us. Who's with me?" James said in his best captain's voice. "We really should stop in anyway. We usually do. It would be suspicious if we didn't. Can't let Dumbledore think we have changed habits too much. Can't let Slytherins keep us from our usual haunts."

"You usually go in there?" Lily asked in poorly disguised surprise when they arrived at The Hog's Head. "And Dumbledore knows this?"

"We do Flower. And I'm sure Dumbledore knows. Doesn't miss a trick that man. How'd you think we know Aberforth's Dumbledore's brother. He knows us and he's our source of Fire whisky."

"You're joking, right? You're not of age."

"Not joking Flower. Mind you, we don't frequently purchase Fire whiskey but we have occasional need of it for medicinal purposes, you see. Can't loiter and reconnoiter without purchasing something once in a while. No one else will sell us Fire whiskey so needs must and all that." At this James and Sirius shared a meaningful look but offered no explanation.

"Medicinal purposes? Right..."

"I'll be legal next month so it's just splitting hairs to quibble about a week or two. Ask us no questions and we'll tell you no lies, Flower."

"Witches, after you." James opened the door and bowed the witches in.

Lily could see the witches visibly cringe and wrinkle their noses, but they entered all the same. Lily had never set foot in this pub so she took in her surroundings. It smelled of pipe tobacco and old beer. Her eyes took a moment to adjust to the low light. It really was quite filthy and Lily had to force herself not to frown. She looked up at James obviously questioning his judgement so he draped his arm casually over her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"He's alright, Aberforth, really," James nodded toward the bar trying to reassure her.

"If you say so," Lily whispered up to his ear. "What now?"

"We say hello Lily. He's just a person ya know, no different to you and me, he's nice, you'll like him."

Meanwhile Sirius was casing the joint, taking mental note of who was in the pub. It was hard to tell who was who with hoods up and most were bent low in what appeared to be conspiratorial conversations. As far as he could tell though, they were the only students here so he sidled up to the bar to say hello. He ordered a Fire whisky and shot it down in one. Keeping up appearances. The girls looked scandalized, except for Mars and she just smiled at Sirius with pride, but said nothing. Lily observed Mars' proud smile and decided to watch him work. He was supposed to be a mastermind. Maybe she could learn something.

"Abe! Good to see ya!" Sirius greeted the proprietor.

"Abe." James nodded toward Lily. "This is Lily Evans. They are Marlene McKinnon, Dorcas Meadows and Mary McDonald," James nodded across the pub to each witch in turn. "I believe you already know Frank's sweetheart, Alice Prewett."

"I do. Witches," Abe called out, greeting them simply. "So, this is the ginger heartbreaker, eh Potter? About time I was introduced. It's a pleasure Miss Lily." He was charming. Not Dumbledore but nice all the same. He shared one striking feature with his brother that made their fraternity apparent; light blue eyes. Abe wore spectacles too but he didn't look out and over them in the mannerism so reminiscent of his brother. His hair was long, loose around his face and not fully grey yet; there was a bit of dark ginger left. He had a heavier, more muscular build than his brother but seemed to be almost the same height and he had a closed but not disingenuous smile. The look in his eyes was guarded and calculating, quite unlike brother's which was always penetrating, mischievous and curious. But their color was identical and it caught a Lily off guard. She was certain that he had noticed.

"The pleasure is mine...Abe... I can call you Abe?" Lily responded.

"It's m' name, so yeah, just Abe. Never could abide being Mr. Dumbledore. Sounds snooty."

"Business good?" Sirius continued.

"Sirius Black, thought you forgot my pub. That'll be three Knuts." He held out a hand and Sirius obliged. "Glad 'ta see ya here. Business is a bit better now school's in. Some of the older students like to come in for a pint now and again, bit a poker, you know. Just different enough from the Broomsticks to offer 'em alternative entertainment. Fancy a flutter?"

"Naw, Abe we're with the witches today...trying to behave, know what I mean?"

"I do. Lovely, your witches. I have butterbeer if you are buying them rounds." Aberforth nodded to the witches who were looking around for somewhere clean to sit. "Frank Longbottom, good t' see ya." Frank strolled up to the bar. "Miss Alice, good to see you too. Lookin' lovely as always."

"Thanks Abe," Alice blushed.

"I'll be buying a round. Ten butterbeers and a shot of fire whiskey, please. I'll take that shot right here, Abe, thanks." Frank shot the fire whisky down.

"Oi, Longbottom! If you're buying rounds then make mine and Mars' a shot as well!" Dor hollered across the room and Abe smiled her way.

"She's feisty! I like her." Abe said.

"So, does Remus Abe so watch yourself!" advised James under his breath.

"Make it ten butterbeers and two shots of fire whiskey for my fellow adults." Frank said acknowledging Mars and Dor.

"Another?" Abe looked hopeful.

"Naw, just the one. I'm with Alice and she's better." Alice blushed again and gave Frank a squeeze.

Sirius let out a low whistle and nudged Frank's shoulder. "Atta boy Frank! So, Abe, are we the only students to visit your fine establishment today? I'm surprised...I'd thought to see at least some older students in here and some of Salazar's set, if ya take my meaning?"

"Already been and gone, Salazar's lot, 'bout an hour ago...seemed to have someplace to be."

"Really. That's interesting. Thanks Abe. Hit me with just one more. Have to keep up with that one over there." Sirius said nodding to Mars _._ And one for the rest of the Marauders, since Frank is with Alice an' all." He winked at Frank. "Got to keep my wits today but that's no cause to be a bore." Sirius barked. "Marauders get over here!"

"Just one each, mind ... I'm on a budget, ya know." Sirius laid his Knuts on the bar as Pete and Remus joined them. "Marauders!" They all toasted themselves, drank the shot and smacked their glass on the table.

"Now let's tend to our witches!" Sirius grinned and left the bar heading straight for Mars. James hung back to have a private word with Abe. He walked around to the back of the bar, handed Abe something that Lily couldn't quite see. Lily could tell that he made a surreptitious purchase and then Abe had stowed it, whatever it was, in James's lucky pack. _Fire Whiskey, no doubt._

"Thanks Abe, you're a life saver, literally." James nodded then nodded to Frank as well. "Frank." Remus and Pete nodded to both wizards while James came back around to the proper side of the bar and replaced his arm around Lily's shoulder. Then they followed Sirius to the table the witches chose.

"Compliments of the Head Boy." Pete said as they distributed everyone's drinks.

Mars and Dor took their whiskey and toasted each other. "Skoal!" and they shot theirs down with practiced ease.

They gathered around the little table in a close circle, lowered their heads and their voices, exactly like the rest of the clientele were doing; seemed the fashion in The Hogs Head.

"So, been here and gone already...had someplace to be? Wonder where that is?" Sirius asked.

"Me too. I'd love to catch them out! We should at the very least try and find where this place is that they had to be."

They visited for a while but James's curiosity was getting the better of him. At last he gave in. "So, drink up witches or we'll never find out!" James encouraged and drank most of his own in one gulp.

"We could take these with, couldn't we? No need to outstay our welcome, or flood our bladders!" Dor added sarcastically.

"We could." Mars agreed and rose to encourage the others to follow her lead. "Thanks Abe!" Dor called as the girls started to rise.

"Cheers." Abe called back a little disheartened at their departure. He liked the Marauders.

They did the full circuit of Hogsmeade hunting for Slytherins while enjoying the day. They skipped Madam Puddifoot's. The Marauders wouldn't be caught dead in that shop and none of the witches seemed too keen on the place either.

"Just a stage for public displays of affection! Too many hormones ya know; it's gross in there! I'd bet you could catch a disease off those surfaces," Dor offered receiving nods all around.

In Scrivenshaft's they all bought a Quick Quotes Quills. They spent quite a while in Zonko's and James lucky pack received more contraband. "Undetectable Extension Charm. I've got loads in here." James grinned up at Lily as she gaped at the pack.

They spent quite a lot of silver in Honeydukes and enjoyed the free samples. Their newest confection was Levitating Sherbet Balls and everyone enjoyed the effect so much they all purchased some. James and Lily agreed that they would be sharing these delights with their new first years.

"Just imagine the joy on their little faces when they sample these beauties!" James whispered to Lily, close enough that she could feel his breath on her neck.

Lily, confunded at his proximity could do no more than summon up a drunken smile for James and he seemed very pleased at her somewhat befuddled response. He'd have to whisper in her ear again and very soon.

Mostly, they just enjoyed being out of the castle and away from the grounds. They walked every street just because they could. They met Alastor Moody just outside the Post Office.

"Behaving?" he looked at them suspiciously, and they nodded.

"We are. Though I can't say that's true for everyone who's been here today. Got it from Abe that the Slytherins had some place to be," offered Sirius.

"We're aware Mr. Black so don' you worry. Constant vigilance!" he barked.

"Barkin' he is," whispered Pete as they took their leave.

"He may be but he's a great Auror so if that requires a bit a madness so be it," James said. "Dad swears he's brilliant and he wouldn't be at Hogwarts if Dumbledore didn't agree."

The sun was behind the shops now, not setting but low enough in the sky to warrant cloaks and returning to the castle. The sky was clear and it would soon be cold. By now they had formed pairs but stayed in a loose knit clump rather than stringing out in a line as they had done last weekend during their walk of the campus. Lines were a vulnerable formation out here away from the castle. Each pair was either hand in hand, arm in arm or walking very close. Arm in arm was less bold a statement so when Sirius took Mars' hand it did not go unnoticed.

"It's about time," James whispered into Lily's ear. "He's fancied her, since, third year."

"Really?" Lily was surprised by this. "He never acts like he fancies anyone unless he counts himself. Just flirts with everyone. Gives all the witches something to gossip about I suppose. Well this will cause a stir, I have never seen Sirius hold a witch's hand."

"That's because he never has Lily. Mars is different and Sirius has been planning to stake his claim all summer."

"Well, that's just rude! Stake his claim?"

"Come on Lily, you know Sirius better now. D'ya really think he doesn't fancy Mars? He's been worried if he didn't get a move on he'd miss his moment. His intentions are totally genuine if not entirely honorable. You didn't believe all the rumors about him, did you? Well he's not like that. He lets rumor spread for his own purposes; keeps them self-absorbed you see, those gossiping types. Witches just exaggerate to make themselves seem special. No, Sirius has only ever fancied Mars and I'm pretty sure she feels the same. They've just been dancing around it, testing the waters so to speak. Besides, she took his hand which is staking her own claim, right?"

"Well I guess that's true, funny; I never thought of it the other way 'round." Lily thought about it and James was right. "Mars has never mentioned fancying anyone. She flirts all the time but come to think of it she's never even dated. They do seem to reserve a special kind of flirting for each other, don't they?"

"They do. It's ironic that they were betrothed before Sirius did a runner."

"Mars said, first night back I think...but she never let on that she'd agree to it. She also didn't let on that she wouldn't so...yeah, they look happy together."

"Just don't make a big deal of it K? It's a big step for him to openly show us how he feels. One word around the school and they'll go into hiding; take to frequenting broom cupboard's, unless...they're already acquainted with this custom." James finished watching them closely...maybe they were more well acquainted with each other than either had let on.

"My lips are sealed James."

"Shame," James said but he smiled down at her.

Lily, much to her own surprise moved a bit closer to him as they made their way back, but said nothing more. Slow was good. They were new to this and they had a lot of history that would need re-writing. Besides, they had all the time in the world.

They took their time returning, it was only dusk by now and they knew the house elves would provide them a hot meal in the Great Hall if they missed dinner time; it was a Hogsmeade weekend tradition to serve until half eight. It had been a warm day but this time of year the sun set around seven o'clock so they arrived just as the sun was setting but before it was properly dark; the sky filled with lingering colors of plum red graduating to blue with a hint of deep purple.

Just as they passed through the magical castle wards, James had a sense that they were being followed, he could feel the hair rise on the back of his neck so he turned around to determine by whom; it was the Slytherins who had managed to elude them all day. They were quite far behind so he couldn't make out any faces. They too had cloaks on with hoods up which was no different to anyone else who had been in Hogsmeade; it was cold outside. Nevertheless, being followed by hooded Slytherins, in the dark made his skin crawl. It felt like another warning. James preferred it when they displayed loud and open hostility, that way he always knew where they were and could gauge their intentions. This new stealthier Slytherin was unsettling.

When Mars and Sirius topped the stone steps they slowed simultaneously while still in shadow. They turned to face one another. Sirius had the fingers of his left hand laced in her right and held low. They shared a secret they wanted to keep, at least from the castle at large. With a look of mutual consent their entwined hands slowly, reluctantly, parted. Sirius placed his behind his back, hands clasped in the same manner as when he paced. He leaned down and with his face he gave her head a nudge; much like when cats greet. With his face burrowing into the smooth sheets of her silky electrum hair, he inhaled her scent and whispered; lips touching her ear, "I had a great day Mars." He could feel her face smile; slowly he stood upright again looking only at her, his grey eyes smoldering. It was a color only she'd ever seen. Her deep blue eyes held his for several heart beats.

"I had a great day too, Star Boy." Then they turned to face the entry way and walked in together, side by side.

Remus and Dor entered the Great Hall, laughing, arms around each other, his on her shoulders, hers around his hips. They openly displayed mutual joy in their faces which were lit up and ached from smiling so much.

"Oh, Remus you do make me laugh!" Dor's voice clear and confident. "I think we should spend more time together."

Remus turned to face her, walking backward, both hands on her shoulders now, faces close and replied, "I thought you'd never ask. Let's get some chow, I'm starving."

"When aren't you starving Lupin? I've never known anyone to eat as much as you."

"I burn it all off exuding animal magnetism!" He added as he turned a full circle as if to allow her to appreciate the whole package. Much to his surprise she was, openly appreciating him, and she twirled her finger in a slow circle, pointing downward, requesting another look. He obliged.

They found seats next to the others and sat side on opposite sides at the end of the Gryffindor table. It was obvious they were smitten. They just grinned at each other and loaded their plates with food. They continued their semi private conversation between mouthfuls for the duration of their meal, smiling all the while.


	9. Chapter Nine: Plotting and Discoveries

**Chapter 9 Plotting and Discoveries**

October was devoted to getting into the swing of things. They had less than weeks to look forward to Halloween but nothing else that could divert the flow of their river of school work. The first Quidditch match of the season was not until November so the Gryffindor team fell into a grueling routine of practice and they were shaping up nicely. James took his Captaincy seriously and expected rather a lot of his team. They ran every other morning, led by Mars and she showed them no mercy; she ran like a gazelle. Dor was in charge of drills and she abused them as well while Sirius was charge of criticism. The chasers became far more agile when Dor and Sirius pretended to be opposing beaters and the reserves were showing signs that they might actually become acceptable substitute players. Injury was a real danger to every position. While the reserves never openly desired their first-string player's injury, one could always hope for a minor injury.

Remus and Lily were working with the first through third year Gryffindors on defense. None could produce a Patronus which was not a surprise. Many highly respected and qualified wizards could not produce a fully-fledged Patronus but their defensive work was improving. They succeeded in Stunning Lily, Impeding Remus and their Shield Charms were at least effective on each other which was a start. At Remus's suggestion, their charges were rewarded with a new spell each time they accomplished a measurable goal. So far, they had been introduced to _Furnunculus_ , _Densaugeo_ and _Waddiwasi_ but they were cautioned to not get caught practicing these in the corridors. They were also told that they should be used defensively thought whether defensively or offensively was splitting hairs. Nearly all magic could be used as an attack or a defense; it was completely dependent on the circumstances and the context of the magic used. Still, they were excellent at _Locomotor Mortis_ and _Tarantallegra_ partly because the used these spells a lot; they were funny. Oddly, some still struggled with _Finite Incantatum_ which was very useful to keep from getting caught by Mr. Filch, practicing magic in the corridors. One could always tell when the younger students had been dueling each other because their residual spells lingered.

One of the perks of being a N.E.W.T. student was apprenticing so three of the sixth years started their apprenticeships by mid-October. Lily was working with Professor Slughorn, Mars with Madam Pomfrey and Sirius with Professor Diggle. It was agreed that advanced skill in these disciplines would be useful.

The full moon was falling roughly the third week of the month for now and this time went far better than last time. Deciding that extreme injury should be avoided they took Moony into the Forbidden Forest. Pete had map duty this time so there was no risk of discovery. They arrived at The Shrieking Shack before Remus became Moony and that alone seemed to be enough for the whole night to go smoothly. It felt like old times and the Marauders were in better moods for it going into the week before Halloween.

Map duty still rotated. It was actually fun to spy on the castle's occupants. They had learned several useful pieces of information just this month. Their Professors met regularly in Professor Dumbledore's office. These meetings lasted about an hour and on occasion included Bartemius Crouch: Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Alastor Moody: Head of the Auror Department and rarely Harold Minchum: The Minister of Magic.

The Slytherins were conspicuous only by their absence in the castle or on the grounds; lately they kept to their common room when not in class or at meals. This group included the likes of Crabbe, Goyle, Avery and Mulcibur just to name a few. It was suspicious that Snape and Regulus were almost never with this group. Instead they were always together but on their own and were most often in the library when they weren't in their dorm. The oddest thing was they had also observed Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix Black and Rodolphus Lestrange in the Slytherin common room. The witches thought that The Map must be lying but they were assured by the Marauders that The Map never lies. These Slytherins had completed their seventh year, years back and no one knew how they could enter the castle undetected by any of the Aurors, Portraits, Ghosts, Professors, Students or the Headmaster. Furthermore, they didn't believe for a second that they had leave to be here.

This information had to be brought to Professor Dumbledore's attention and how to accomplish such an operation was the focus of the Marauders next big plan. They would, in a manner yet to be determined intercept these intruders, maybe even gain access to Slytherin common room, so they could provide eyewitness accounts to the Headmaster. They pondered for several days before Lily suggested they use Polyjuice Potion.

"I told you we should have nicked some!" Sirius said one afternoon when they met up in the Room of Requirement to come up with a plan. Sirius and James volunteered to take the Polyjuice potion and pose as Regulus and Snivellus, respectively. Infiltrating the Slytherin common was a bold plan and the risk of it posed actual, as opposed to theoretical danger.

"Flower, this may sound gross but you wouldn't have anything that actually came from Snivelly's person, would ya? A stray hair left on your robes, a toe nail, some grease? Anything, from your long association? I mean I have items from Regulus's person, not toenails or grease mind, but we've shared cloaks before. I'm sure I could find a stray hair that would serve."

"Eeww Sirius, you can't be serious," Lily looked sick at the thought.

"Well, I am Sirius."

"Clever," Lily dead panned. "I dunno. I never thought to check my trunk for Snape toenails but I will now!" Lily couldn't keep a straight face. "It's quite a disturbing thought but it would be useful if I did have something. I will look tonight, before the next Marauder-Minion Meeting. I could also just contrive to meet up with him if need be, somewhere in the open like the Great Hall. Better still, a severing charm for Severus, during dinner might work." Lily was thinking aloud now, giddy at her own play on words. _Snivelly's toenails indeed._

"Flower? Lily? Minion!" Sirius snapped his fingers under her nose and that brought her out of her brief revere.

"Has a certain ring to it ...Marauder Minion. I've never been a minion," She said wiping tears from her eyes. She and Sirius seemed to be the only ones who thought that this conversation was funny but she didn't really care. A laugh was a laugh and she owed it to Snape to laugh at his expense, often and loudly.

"Well you are now!" Sirius gave her the thumbs up and tried to straighten out his face.

"Too bad we don't have any devoted house elves handy." Mars was thinking aloud too and looking right at James.

"You could call yours into service just as easily as I could Mars! We have never used my house elves for a prank, not ever, let alone an operation like this! I don't like the idea of using them for nefarious purposes, makes me feel like a pure blood."

"You are a pure blood James! If you think about it, house elves have a lot to lose if Old Voldy's side wins!" Mars countered.

"True. Still...it feels wrong. Besides who do I call, Wik? He's ancient!"

"You have plenty to choose from James," Lily offered sarcastically having not quite regained her composure. James smirked at her and Sirius both. _Who knew that their sense of humor was so similar?_ Attempting contrition Sirius turned his attention to James.

"Prongs, you always fail to remember that your house elves are obliged to do as you command. It's part of their magic! That they love you is beside the point."

"Pads, sometimes you sound like Orion. Always the cool voice of a pragmatist no matter how distasteful something might be."

"If you'd said Walburga I'd have had to hit you. Orion isn't in her class of evil; he just turns a blind eye and lets her get on with it. I'm just saying you impose your values over their own. Your elves would never refuse a request from you, nor consider it distasteful. They probably couldn't come to think of it since yours are forbidden them to punish themselves. Monty is soft on them. They're honor bound to feel honored and you know that they enjoy doing things they shouldn't. Besides, they don't approve of Walburga decapitating her elves nor her egregious use of Kreacher. Your elves have learned their distrust of Slytherins from you. They might enjoy being part of a plan to spy on wizards that they regard as dishonorable."

"Well, maybe. I'd have to think about it. It was your idea Mars and I don't hear you calling any of your house elves into service! Second thoughts?"

"Maybe you're right. I'm sorry I mentioned it, sounds wrong to hear it voiced outside my own head, in your voice, ya know? Come to think of it, I always hear your voice in my head when I consider doing something dubious. Why's that do you suppose?"

"Because Mars, we've been friends for what...twelve years? Besides I hear your voice in my head too when I'm being dodgy."

"I'm surprised that you don't hear Lily's voice scolding you...she's done it far more times than I have!"

"Hey, I'm right here just so you know," Lily was scowling at each of them in turn. "And...if I never apologized for being...snotty... James, well, I'm sorry. I wasn't in possession of all the facts in those days and I... acted...badly towards you, to all of you really. I do feel awful about it now, really, I do."

"Thanks Lily. But I deserved most of it so no worries!"

"Well, Marauders, Minions, lovely as all this sappy stuff is, it's not getting us anywhere," Dor used her beater's voice now, "Focus people!"

They tried to refocus, to bully their brains but there was nothing for it. Their concentration was lost so their plan didn't get far. They decided what they all needed was to get some fresh air so they slipped out of the Room of Requirement and headed to their beech tree by the lake. It was windy today and chilly, not at all like last weekend in Hogsmeade so with jumpers on they decided to walk around the grounds rather than sitting in the cold wind that was coming off the lake.

They took the long way around, behind the greenhouses where they were out of the wind. They enjoyed the heat of the sun warmed castle walls as it leaked out like a vapor, getting trapped between the castle walls and the greenhouses. They made their way down to Hagrid's and were invited in for tea and his unavoidable rock cakes. It was a tight squeeze but they doubled up on chairs and were encouraged by Hagrid to join Fang on his giant bed. Fang was the size of an adolescent unicorn now and took up half the bed all by himself. Hagrid had a lovely fire going and they visited, quite glad of Hagrid's hospitality. Their earlier bad moods were safely behind them. James however, knew Hagrid had a sharp eye and in a moment of inspiration, he came right out and asked him if he'd noticed anything suspicious going on with the Slytherins.

"Come t' think, I ain' seen much o' 'em rotters! Never could abide 'em see, shifty they are, the whole lot! Why'd ya ask James?"

"Well, that's it exactly. We rarely see them, no taunting, no dueling, no hexing; it's not like them. I think they're up to something."

"Pro'bly are but leave it to Dumbledore, an' the Aurors. They're a dangerous bunch, those Slytherins. Don' you have 'nough ta be goin' on with?"

"We do. Still, I struggle with curiosity Hagrid. You know that."

"I do but my advice it'd be ta keep yer head down an' yer nose clean. Ain' nuthin' goes on here, that he don' know 'bout. That'd include yer lot playing silly buggers!"

They'd pocketed their rock cakes leaving just at sundown, tossing them to the giant squid who surprisingly tossed them back. The Slytherin Quidditch team was trooping up to the castle from practice and James pulled out the Marauders Map. He watched Regulus's dot to see where he was headed.

"Gotcha!" James looked at the rest of the Marauders.

"Well James, looks like we're not the only ones who use that room." Remus said.

October was flying by and they still did not have a solid plan together for outing the Slytherins and their _visitors_. Regrettably, they missed another opportunity when Malfoy, Black and Lestrange once again were spotted in the Slytherin common room. They never caught them in route; they were always already there or they appeared to just suddenly appear! It was late and the Marauders, the Minions and Frank had the Gryffindor Common room to themselves. Still, they kept their heads close and their voices low. No need to inspire eves-dropping first years to do something foolishly brave and potentially life threatening.

"You know, if Slughorn had a Slugclub party then Lily could wheedle information outta him. It's his common room after all, he might know something and you are his favorite."

"Thank you, Sirius. I am glad that my talents are valued enough to take your notice." Lily said proudly.

"Why hasn't he had one this year? Bit outta character, don' you think? He couldn't be in on it, could he? He is so nice. Maybe too nice, trying to distract our attention from his secret nefarious side?" said Sirius.

"Don't be ridiculous Sirius. He hasn't had one because it seemed disingenuous after Mary's attack. And, his being nice, is genuine. If anything, he is too nice and doesn't see what his own house gets up to!" defended Lily.

"You're probably right." Sirius conceded.

"They must have a secret passage way that goes from somewhere like Malfoy Manor or Knockturn Alley straight in to their common room; there's no other explanation!" Remus complained quietly.

"Speaking of Knockturn Alley, there is a shop there called Borgin and Burkes where they sell all sorts. Dark stuff; cursed objects, poisons. What? Don't look at me like that, I don't shop there! But Walburga does; she trades there as well. I've been there. Borgin, now there's a creeper; definitely dodgy. Anyway, Walburga traded some cursed jewels for a troll leg umbrella stand once; disgusting witch, my mother. She brought Reg and me along. I've never even seen Burke! They say no one's seen him in years! Maybe they sell portable portals or something. I've even heard that The Elder Wand is in there; locked in a safe. That'd be worth a fortune." Sirius said.

"The Elder Wand is a myth Sirius." Remus stated as if it was a fact.

"Off topic Marauders. Again! How you four ever manage to see a prank plan to completion is beyond me. We were discussing ways to enter the castle undetected." Dor scolded.

"Right...Well, maybe we can't see it on the Map because...it's unplottable somehow." Sirius was thinking on his feet now, pacing and talking his way through his argument, hand clasped behind his back. "An unplottable, portable portal! That's it! For all we know, Old Salazar himself could have made one, it's always been available there and maybe they just discovered it? Besides, why would any Slytherin worth their salt tell anyone about such a secret! It's not surprising that no one knows."

"Just because we don't know doesn't mean that no one knows. As Gryffindors, wouldn't we be the last to know?" said Mary this as if it were obvious.

"Maybe they have an invisibility cloak," suggested Pete. This got The Marauder's attention. Leave it to Pete to come up with the simplest answer and most dangerous topic to discuss in mixed company. James openly scowled at Pete and he looked properly reprimanded. Pete would suggest something that his Marauders didn't want the Minions even considering! They did not respond to this statement however in the hope that Dor would not catch on. She'd already made mention of invisibility cloaks before and they did not want her to get the bit between her teeth.

Too late. "An invisibility tent more like," Dor snorted.

"Well I'm not sure that's the only explanation, Remus. I just don't see how such a thing could have been here and used right under Dumbledore's nose. There must be some other explanation. An invisibility cloak seems more likely to me," Lily said acknowledging Pete's proposal.

"Maybe they have created wards within the wards. No, that's idiotic too! Maybe...Oh hell I don't know!" James was pacing and his hair surpassing messy. "If it's a passageway then it should show up on the Map!"

"Not necessarily. The Room of Requirement doesn't show up on the Map." Pete said, stating the obvious. He'd been quiet too, but listening intently while taking copious notes and sorting ideas for their feasibility.

"If there was a weakness in the wards, why would it be located in the Slytherin's common room?" Lily asked.

"I've just said Flower! Sirius said sounding annoyed.

"So, you think Salazar Slytherin created it on purpose? Possibly as a means of escape? Or infiltration? It's possible Sirius. I think the Room of Requirement uses very old magic and maybe it has always been here. For all we know it too could be the work of Salazar." Remus interrupted, nodding to Sirius, his voice deliberately calm and reasonable.

"Slughorn would have noticed such a thing!" Lily was incredulous.

"I dunno. It's not like we don't hide stuff in here, that McGonagall doesn't know about." James confessed.

"Admit it, it is a dodgy room even if we like it! And we can't be only students to know about it" Pete offered. "Also, there is the legend of The Chamber of Secrets and no one's ever found it either; it certainly doesn't show up on the Map!"

"Maybe no one's looked Pete." Mary offered.

"Naw, they've looked. Remember, it's mentioned in Hogwarts: A History." James added.

"You've read Hogwarts: A History?" Lily sounded astonished.

"I'm not a Philistine Lily; you've seen a picture of my library!" James hissed.

"You're right James. That was out of order. I apologize." Lily looked sheepishly at James waiting for him to forgive her.

"It's alright Lily. I read a lot. I'm just bothered by all this. Our castle is being infiltrated by Death Eaters!"

"Wouldn't Dumbledore know, feel it or something? You know what I mean; sense that the wards were compromised or deteriorating or even defeated?" Mary asked.

"But who could accomplish that, he's only the greatest living Wizard of our time!" Sirius said in defense of Dumbledore.

"Unless...there might be a wizard living, who could accomplish this but... It's a terrible thought." Lily's face stilled, her eyes had a far-away look and her mouth was a perfect O.

"Well...spit it out Lily; whatcha got?" Dor demanded.

"Voldemort." She almost whispered.

"Oh my." Mars so far had been mostly listening but she spoke up now. "Well, I think this is mad! It's easy. We have to tell Dumbledore. We lie about how we know if we must but we tell him! Planning a prank is one thing but to have knowledge of this sort and not tell is practically criminal! If you won't then I will. I can lie as well as any of you."

"Naw Mars, you can't. Keeping a secret is not the same thing as telling a lie." Sirius said softly.

"Mars, you're right of course. We tell him." Dor had been mostly listening too but it was apparent that they both thought The Marauders were out of their depth. They waited, glaring at them, arms crossing stubbornly.

"We can still plan to, you know, catch them at it though, right?" Sirius asked hopefully.

"Why don't you lot put your expertise into a plan for how we are all going to go to the Headmaster and tell him what we know! He'll know we're hiding something, he always knows but maybe he'll care less about how we know and more about our information. It's doesn't have to be like a confession. We don't have to spill all of it." Dor had hit on their solution. He room quieted and as one, they all relaxed, looking relieved. Shoulders dropped a little and held breaths were exhaled. There was nothing for it. They all looked at each other, rose in unison and marched out of the portrait hole headed to the Headmasters office without a backward glance.

The Fat Lady and the Aurors however, protested vociferously. Only one Auror followed them, the other remained at her post. The Fat Lady did not remain at her post and Lily was sure that she was heading straight to the next portrait in the chain to alert Dumbledore. The Auror, a tall bloke with an ear ring and a very low voice asked them where they were headed, they were led by the Head Boy and had two prefects with them after all, so not out to cause trouble. All they all said was "Dumbledore." The Auror introduced himself as Kingsley Shacklebolt and accompanied them to the Headmasters office.

"Licorice Wands." The stone gargoyle slid aside, the spiral staircase was revealed and they all stepped on and rode it up. When they knocked on the door it opened of its own accord and they walked in. Professors McGonagall, Slughorn and Alastor Moody were already there.

"It's past curfew. This better be important or you will all serve detention." Professor McGonagall said with a scowl on her face. "Even the Head boy and my prefects."

"We were escorted here by Mr. Shacklebolt." Lily offered pointing toward the imposingly large Auror who nodded as if to confirm Lily's account. Her Professor looked skeptical but chose not to punish them yet; maybe she wanted to hear what the Head Boy and her sixth years came here to say.

"Very well but this had better be of the utmost importance." McGonagall stated, scowling as only she could do.

Everyone looked at James, even Frank. Frank was the school's Head Boy but James was the sixth year's leader. James rolled his eyes at the lot and turned to face the Headmaster.

"Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix Black and Rodolphus Lestrange have been in the Slytherin common room twice." As Dumbledore was not one for preamble James figured it would be best to just get straight to the heart of it.

"That's quite a serious accusation Mr. Potter. Have you any evidence to support such a statement?" Slughorn sounded impressed rather than defensive.

"We do but we would ask you to consider the information of more value than the manner in which it was obtained." James was holding fast. "My word of Honor Sir, we did not break any school rules; you can give me Veritaserum or use Legilimency on me. I am not lying when I say that no rules or Laws were broken." James looked directly at his Headmaster, his expression completely open.

Professor Dumbledore did not question James's statement or ask for evidence. Instead he looked directly into James's eyes. He did not use Legilimency on James; it was unnecessary; James was a terrible Occlumens. Professor Dumbledore decided that if James wanted to keep their _methods_ private and would give his word that they had broken no rules or _Laws_ (he could be a bit over the top, James Potter) then he would continue to permit them these, for now. After all, he had known about James's Invisibility Cloak since Monty gifted it to James. He nodded to James and then to the rest of his Gryffindors in turn. Last, he looked at his Aurors and his Professors.

"Is this true Albus?" Professor McGonagall looked astonished and almost disappointed that Dumbledore would know such a thing and worse allow it.

"It is. It is true Minerva. Alastor and Horace came to me with this news today. We've only just discussed it, that's why I summoned you here tonight. I wanted to be sure of my facts and I risked a reoccurrence for confirmation. They have been under constant surveillance both times." He nodded to Kingsley and Moody who nodded in confirmation. "I was necessary Minerva, I assure you." Dumbledore looked almost chastened by the look he received from his Deputy Headmistress but returned her glare with something like a request for her continued support and trust. McGonagall's scowl softened.

The Marauders and their Minions stood completely still, faces shocked onto the now stereotypical O that had been reoccurring this year with alarming frequency at this exchange between Dumbledore and McGonagall.

Dumbledore turned his gaze to his students and addressed them. Now, it was the adults turns to look shocked and remain completely still. "I want to thank you for coming to me with this. Just as easily, you could've chosen to _deal_ with it on your own; which would have been reckless, even for you." Dumbledore spoke this to the Marauders. "I also see that you have confidants" he nodded approvingly at the Minions, "there's safety in numbers, relatively speaking, and secrets have a way of revealing themselves. It's best to have friends in times like these. Please keep this information to yourselves; it wouldn't help to cause a panic. You must trust us with this and believe that we are using it for the greater good." He smiled at them all and then said, "If that is all, Kingsley will escort you back to your common room. Kingsley, if you please?"

Once back in their common room, James was obviously furious. "We were dismissed. Dumbledore was being typically cryptic! Even McGonagall thought the whole thing was reckless! It's infuriating but what more could we say? Ask the dozens of questions that we all have now? Dumbledore would obfuscate and now we might wind up under surveillance! That is if we weren't already. Come to think of it we probably were. If not before then we certainly were now! Happy now Mars?" James accused.

"Yes! Yes, I am James and you should be too! We're students James not Aurors! I'm going to bed now before we row! We did the right thing and you know it. Like it or not!" Mars turned on her heals and walked straight up to her dorm.

Lily looked sympathetically at James. "She's right you know. It's late and suddenly I feel exhausted. Let's all get some sleep. Things will look different in the morning."

The rest of the girls followed Lily up the stairs leaving the Marauders and Frank alone in the common room. "Well, that's what we get for including them, for showing them our Map." Pete accused.

"Piss off Peter! I'm going up. It's been a long night." James left and reluctantly the others followed. It was a rough night for sleep.

The witches, united in disappointment that their Headmaster knew Death Eaters were infiltrating the castle and permitted them entrance twice needed discussing, justification if some could be found. They all got into their pyjamas and piled on their beds to swap ideas. What could possibly justify Dumbledore allowing Death Eaters to enter the castle twice? It seemed inexcusable, even for Dumbledore who was known for unorthodox methods and admittedly, they felt let down. It was Dor who pointed out that wizards had a unique affinity for risk and danger but Mars pointed out that this affinity was usually restricted to only willing participants. It shouldn't pose a risk to the innocent. Sleep didn't come until the early hours when they'd exhausted both ideas and the stamina to voice them.

The wizards had a different approach to their take on the whole thing. They ignored each other and piled into their beds, pulled their curtains and stewed alone. It was the second time that debate, discussion and theorizing failed to occur among the Marauders. The first was a long time ago when Sirius's little joke on Snape regarding the Whomping Willow and the secret it guarded. That time the Marauders were nearly torn apart. That time, James was actually so furious he wouldn't even speak to Sirius for weeks. It took the level head of Remus to heal that wound. This time James was angry with and deeply disappointed in his Headmaster and not too pleased with Pete. The memory of the only real rift in the Marauders was enough for James to try and get past his attitude toward Pete, reminding himself that it was Pete's sweetheart who'd been attacked, twice and that just might excuse his pissed-off mood and inconsistent attitude about sharing the Marauders' Map. Mary was safer because they shared and Pete knew it. He also figured that Pete felt he should have protected Mary and failed to do so. Truth be told, Pete wasn't much at magic anyway and James knew it always bothered Pete so Pete was already forgiven. Furthermore, James trusted Dumbledore and reminded himself that his Headmaster's risky actions must be accompanied by some plan. Still, how could he have discovered this and then allowed it to repeat; permitting Death Eaters into his castle. He fell asleep dreaming horrible dreams of disaster and collateral damage.

The following morning came with new Marauder resolve and group frustration with Dumbledore was placed on the back burner. James shared Dumbledore's notion of second chances so he allowed for second chance for both Dumbledore and Pete. After all, they had Halloween to plan and they couldn't do it without Pete.

Dumbledore's dismissal and typically cryptic manner still made them angry but they woke feeling greater conviction in their clandestine monitoring of the Castle. They finally had something concrete on the Slytherins. The Marauders redirected their energy. Halloween would be incomplete without a host of proper pranks and they hadn't planned a prank for ages. They decided they would keep these plans to themselves; they missed planning just the four of them, no matter how much they adored their Minions and James and Pete needed a united purpose to put behind their enmity of the night before.

Frank was working on the prefect's schedule of Defense tutoring for the underclassmen with Lily, Mars was working on her apprenticeship with Madam Pomfrey, Dor and Alice were doing research on historical methods of infiltrating the castle so the four Marauders had their dorm all to themselves. This private time was becoming rarer by the day so they took full advantage of the time to plan their Halloween pranks. They'd agreed to keep this a secret, even from the Minions; they'd say that it was done for them, their host of Halloween pranks which in part, it was. It was a surprise and needed to be kept secret. The Minions might not buy it but by then it would be too late!

James brought out his lucky pack. It certainly had an Undetectable Extension Charm on it as was evidenced when he began to unpack its contents and lay it all out on his bed. They took inventory.

"Maybe we'll be missing something and have to make a discrete trip to Hogsmeade," Sirius said hopefully.

"We can go whether we need something or not Pads! We're still free wizards and we still have our secrets!" James said nodding to Pete in reconciliation. Pete nodded back. Their bad moods had burned out overnight and today, they were all about mischief.

"So, where is that bottle of inspiration Prongs?" Sirius asked excitedly. "Just one to lubricate the noggin!"

James pulled out the bottle of fire whiskey and four silver tumblers. They each took their tumbler and held it out to James. He poured each one a generous portion, replaced the cork and stowed it back into his lucky pack.

"We solemnly swear that we are up to no good!" They toasted in unison and took a simultaneous drink. They never drank more than one generous jigger when planning a prank; they'd learned that lesson back in fifth year. Drunk planning lead to disastrous results. This year they were determined to orchestrate their best Halloween to date!

At the same time, in a completely different part of the castle there were other wizards making their own plans for Halloween. They too were thinking that their plans surely would be unforgettable. It turned out they would be.

The Marauder's Map lay open on James's bed but their need to plan the

best-ever Halloween completely overshadowed the caution that would have had them check the map regularly. So, intent they were on their own plans and schemes they failed to observe the the arrival of Death Eaters into the Slytherin common room. After they made their plans and set a timing schedule, Pete gathered his notes and put them into James's lucky pack. They were in great moods for the rest of the night before Halloween. The common room was uncommonly noisy that night; everyone enjoyed the Halloween Feast and gambled on likely Marauder Pranks but the Marauders gave no details.

The following morning, Halloween had arrived and the castle was in full preparation mode. It would be easy today, finishing up their plans. Everyone was so busy that the Marauder's activities seemed to go unnoticed.

"It's too long Moony! The list is just too long," James sounded overwhelmed.

"Thus, Professor Flitwick. We've been practicing for weeks now Prongs, it will cover three quarters of the list. No worries mate!"

"So, are we sure that everything is ready, I mean absolutely ready?" James felt like a nervous nelly but this year's prank had to run like clockwork.

"We've checked, double checked and triple checked. Every phase of the operation is set to go exactly as planned; no hitches possible," Remus assured him.

"And Wormy?" James was running through everything out loud with Remus because it helped to settled him down.

"He's there, look." James looked up to Wormy's designated position and sure enough, the little Animagus was sitting exactly where he was supposed to be, indicating that his part was completed. James was sure the little rat gave him, a thumb's up.

"Cheeky little rat! Padfoot? How's things?" James whispered loudly into the mirror when Sirius's face filled it in to the edges. "Ship shape in Bristol fashion Prongs! Stop worrying, your hair can't take much more!"

"Well...there's no turning back now! By the way, we can see up your nose Pads! Moony, shall we?" They disappeared from view.

"We really are getting too tall for this Prongs. I'm sure my trainers show."

"Too late now Moony."

"What would we do without Wormy?"

"I hope we never have to find out Prongs! You are certain that only a drop will do the trick?"

"Positive. It's amazing what Pads can coax out of dad when he puts his mind to it; drew him into a Potions debate regarding Polyjuice and dad just had to show off. So, let's just get this done, they'll be here in less than an hour."

Precisely three minutes later James asked, "Done?"

"Done," answered Remus. "Now let's go get our witches."


	10. Chapter Ten: Halloween

**Chapter X: Halloween**

The Marauders and their Minions entered the Great Hall together, a bit like a mob. The Minions entered arms linked as girls did in those girl-power days of the 70's. The Marauders, entered closely behind their witches and hoping to keep their secret surprise secret, had their game-faces on. The Great Hall was decked out in Hogwarts Halloween Splendor. Students from other Houses looked just as chuffed that The Halloween Feast was finally here. Witches went above and beyond with their appearance, their, most festive robes donned and their faces alight while the wizards looked delighted that they finally had something to celebrate this year.

The students tonight departed from the traditional black robes. Elegant robes in their respective House colors were worn instead. Slowly, as each group of friends from Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin filled the room the Great Hall had the appearance of a swirling, kaleidoscopic jewel of crimson, forest green, honey yellow and sapphire blue. Even their Heads of House wore their school-days House Colors! It was a splendid sight! Professor Flitwick had his choir positioned off to the side in front and they were singing the school song in various tunes but in Flitwick's capable hands it sounded almost like proper music. Hagrid's enormous pumpkins, carved by his own hand into jack-o-lanterns, glowed all the colors of the rainbow and floated all around, which provided a lovely obstacle course for the live bat's circuit. The ghosts were present and though they too were decked out in their Halloween best, remained transparent and except when zooming through Hagrid's jack-o-lanterns and then they created a sort-of vapor trail of color that followed them for a spell through the air.

The first of The Marauder's surprise manifested on the four walls of the Great Hall. Moving facsimiles of each of the House Founders adorned the ancient walls. Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor loomed over the celebrations appearing to approve of this party from on high.

"Maybe we should have used Godric Gryffindor's face instead." Sirius considered in a hushed voice as the Slytherins seated themselves, smiling up at their wall.

"Perhaps Gilbert Grindelwald?" suggested Remus.

Remus slipped his wand from inside his sleeve. As discretely as he was able, he attempted to re-transfigure the Slytherin facsimile. This proved more difficult than he'd expected and the image hovering behind the Slytherin House table became the Dark Mark with face of Gilderoy Lockhart popping out of his mouth in a tiny speech bubble. The Marauders looked pleased. The Slytherins on the other hand were not which pleased The Marauders further!

"Well done Moony!" Sirius shouted.

"My pleasure Pads!" Remus shouted back.

One look from Professor Slughorn was all that was needed for Remus to reverse the spell. Everyone liked Slughorn and this prank was not meant to insult him. Remus looked properly chastised.

James couldn't prevent himself from devolving to his fourth-year self, a prat if ever there was one and gloated until Remus elbowed him in the ribs, drawing his attention to Slughorn's disapproving expression. James hastily nodded an apologetic look Slughorn's way. Slughorn nodded his forgiveness in return.

Pete simply looked pleased to be with the in-crowd and took hold of Mary's hand.

"Look who's not here Pads." James nodded toward the end of the Slytherin table, two of their number were absent; neither Regulus or Snape where here tonight which quite frankly was odd.

"Now that is definitely dodgy," Sirius said, looking at James and they both looked at Remus and Pete. "No Snivellus. No Reg. What's the deal? James, check the Map." Three of the Marauders rose higher on their toes, Remus having the best view and searched throughout the entire hall; there was no sign of either Slytherin.

James was the first to arrive at their table, seated himself and bent low, snuck The Marauder's Map from the pocket inside his robes and opened it up, tapped it with his wand and said, _"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good._ Look! I found them," James tugged at the hem of Sirius's robes and Sirius frowned as he lowered himself onto the bench as the others followed. All four wizards snuck a look at the map in turn. Regulus and Snape were exiting their common room. They followed their dots until they saw them reach the seventh floor and begin to pace back and forth three times in front of the The Barmey's tapestry.

"They're definitely up to something," all four said in unison.

Just then Dumbledore rose to his feet. When Dumbledore said the magic words, "Let the feast begin," the remainder of the pranks went into operation. The Slytherins most likely to become Death Eaters sprouted rat whiskers and tails along with the face of Sir Cadogan emblazoned on their left forearms which burned day-glow pink when it revealed itself. Their prior displeasure intensified, evident in their murderous expressions. Gilderoy now noticed his face coming out of the Dark Mark's mouth which hovered over the Slytherin's table and he looked positively alarmed. He was only a fourth-year student and not sure how he should respond to being featured in a Marauder prank. He took control of his fourteen-year old face and just smiled; all those white teeth showing. He'd begged to be teased as just last week when he stupidly sent his own face into the sky in imitation of the Dark Mark; he really was an idiot.

The Minions were presented with copies of The Sword of Gryffindor which magically appeared in their hands when they picked up their knives. Hagrid's tankard of pumpkin juice transformed into Fwoopers that flew into the air to circle around his head. Snape's pumpkin juice transformed into slop but no one sat in his place. With his wand, James secretly directed the goblet of slop to move over Mulcibur and it emptied its contents on him instead. James was pleased enough until he received the Howler that he'd sent to himself. He'd forgotten! James had planned this himself, as a public show of penitence for being a prat to Lily. Lily seemed to appreciate it all the same. A giant replica of a chocolate frog card, complete with the Headmasters face appeared behind Professor Dumbledore's chair to great applause from almost everyone.

This applause triggered the finale; everyone in the Great Hall levitated. They all floated aimlessly around the hall for a solid minute. It was delightful to watch the Slytherins fight joy and everyone had a laugh at their expense. The ghosts chose to formation fly while everyone was floating around; their timing was matchless. The Marauders were pleased with their work and their Headmaster gave them a deep nod followed by a wink while they all floating aimlessly. Eventually, everyone landed softly in their own seats, at the respective House tables and applause broke out! The Marauders rose from their places and bowed dramatically in show of appreciation for being appreciated. Their pranks were meant to be enjoyed after all!

The feast progressed into eating and visiting and laughing. The House tables vanished when Dumbledore finally set down his cutlery and friends mingled freely from every House. Even some of the younger Slytherins evidently had friends in the other three Houses and this was a bigger surprise still. The party lasted a couple of hours trays of nibbles were at arm's reach, proudly supported by a delighted House Elf and Flitwick's choir provided music until he released them to mingle along with the rest. Eventually the celebration died down and students began to head to their common rooms to carry on in private. The hall had only just begun to empty but, there was another surprise planned for tonight and it was not courtesy of the Marauders.

The Aurors encircled the students, preventing their departure and began to _Stupefy_ and _Leg-lock_ them. They were Aurors after all and meant to protect Hogwarts' students! No one knew quite what was happening nor how to respond to this utterly unexpected turn of events! Gryffindors along with Muggle-borns and blood traitors from every house were apparently being targeted. Even their Professors were on the receiving end of Auror spells! There were only twenty Aurors stationed at Hogwarts tonight but tonight that number swelled and all of them except Alastor Moody were attacking the students!

Of course, no one knew that the Aurors were not themselves so at first, the staff and the older students, reluctant to return fire, were slowed by shock. This went exactly to the Slytherin's plan and gave the Death Eaters, in Polyjuice disguise an early advantage.

The Great Hall deteriorated into chaos. The Aurors spells ratcheted-up becoming more hostile by the second. Most students were still too shocked to take it in! These Aurors were meant to protect them!

Without thought to his own safety James was the first to rise and cry " _Protego!"_

Sirius instantly rose next to him casting his own _Protego!_ and the rest of the Marauders and their Minions stood and cried in unison, " _PROTEGO!"_ They knocked their attackers back with their combined shield charm.

Recognizing mass hesitation, not unlike recognizing stupification, came in a flash. Something dark had been done to his Aurors! Dumbledore cast an audible _REVELIO TOTALUM!_ The Death Eaters were revealed as the Polyjuice Potion's effects slowly reversed. Some Death Eaters were so bold as to not have bothered with Polyjuice Potion but chose to wear their Death Eater masks! Malfoy, Black, Lestrange, Nott, Dolohov, Rookwood, Rosier, Yaxley, once safely hidden behind their Death Eater Masks were unmasked by Dumbledore's powerful revealing spell and knowing who to target made all the difference.

Now the balance of power in the Great Hall shifted. Professor McGonagall cast _Pier Totum Locomotor!_ directing the statues to move and block the exits from the Great Hall. Moody moved from spot to spot throughout the Hall disarming not the Death Eaters but their student sympathizers with his own _Expelliarmus!_ Then he incapacitated them with _Encarcerous!_ He hadn't reach all of them however, before the student resistance fighters did.

Individuals now spotting their prey commenced to duel and duel they did! This wasn't a lesson in Defense Against the Dark Arts, this was war! Lily and Mary, of one mind, immediately targeted Mulcibur using the _Babbling Curse_ followed by " _Expelliarmus! Incarcerous!"_

Mars found Avery and cried " _Expelliarmus! Immobulus! Mimblewimble!"_

Frank dueled Lestrange but chose a more offensive approach, shouting, " _Deprimo! Relashio!_ _Confringo!"_ but Lestrange was equal to the task and and called up his own shield charm. Alice found Frank and behind Lestrange's back non-verbally cast _Confundo!_ Frank nodded Alice's way and smiled as Lestrange started to aimlessly wander around; together they bolted in search of another target happy with Lestrange's bemused expression.

James found Dolohov and unleashed! James was actually keeping up and gained the advantage more than once. But Dolohov fell to a spell cast from across the hall and when James turned around he found it's caster, Professor McGonagall dropped Dolohov in one and James smiled appreciatively.

"James, you're wasted on him! Look around you! There's more!" Lily shouted turning a smile on James and point her wand around the room, singling out enemy individuals.

James laughed and returned her smile. "Point taken Lily." James looked around and finding Sirius moved off in haste to join him. He was single-handedly dueling Bellatrix Lestrange which was bold even for Sirius and James had no intention of losing Sirius now or ever! Bellatrix was a singularly dangerous witch and Sirius needed help whether he knew it or not.

"We have to contain her Pads!" James yelled and together they cast a double " _Expelliarmus!"_ Bellatrix wand flew out of her hand but she countered with, " _Accio!"_ and her wand, reversed course, returning to her expert hand. In that split-second James and Sirius bringing more magical power to their spells shouted in unison, " _Everte Statum! Confundo!"_ This took Bellatrix by surprise and at last she was out of action. The two friends bowed to one another and watched as one of the worlds most deadly witches wandered the hall aimlessly.

"Nice one James!" Sirius yelled.

It was Moody who shouted _"Encarcerous!"_ and as Bellatrix was quickly bound by rope magicked from Moody's wand he moved off to bind another enemy.

Lily, in a moment of madness, in the midst of a battle, had stopped to admire James's wand work while he and Sirius dueled Bellatrix. She was brought to her senses when she heard the crashing sounds of goblets and cutlery. Peeves the Poltergeist had joined the fray by throwing goblets and flatware and knives at the Death Eaters, cackling all the while.

Dor took on Crabbe while Remus took on Goyle; together and with ease. They yelled " _Confundo Duo"!_ and the two wannabe Death Eaters stared aimlessly, around the Great Hall, their wands falling harmlessly to the floor. Dor simply walked toward them, they were quite harmless now, and collected their wands from the floor. Remus cast " _Immobulus!"_ and " _Petrificus Totalus!"_ and their foe's dropped like stones with a satisfying clunk!

The Professors were dueling and incapacitating all the while. Both Professor Slughorn and Professor Flitwick were expert duelists and took on the likes of Malfoy, Rookwood and Bode. Professor McGonagall took out Nott and was doing the same just now to Yaxley. Hagrid merely threw punches and took down several unknown and as yet, unnamed Death Eaters of his own. Dumbledore silently cast _Protego!_ on as many non-combatants as he could spot and then _Wingardium Leviosa'd_ them behind his own shield wall.

In the meantime, Madam Pomfrey and Mars had cast _Protego!_ around the youngest students who recognized that this was out of their league and had ducked under the house tables. Then they used _Inverte Mesa_ and _Locomotor Mesa_ to build a protective area out of the house tables followed by _Duro_ _!_ and _Protego Maxima!_ Now they had a safe place to tend to the wounded. Madam Pomfrey called " _Accio"!_ and her healer's bag zoomed from the hospital wing straight into her hand!

The battle seemed to go on for a long time but it hadn't actually been very long at all. Both sides were starting to show signs of fatigue. It seemed that neither side had the intent to kill rather, to terrorize! After what had actually only been seventy-seven minutes Hogwarts's defenders appeared to have gained the upper hand and the battle started winding down. Those who could walk made their own way while the injured who were down were being levitated to the makeshift triage center that Mars and Madam Pomfrey were running by elder House Elves. One of the injured and out of action for some time turned out to be Pete. He had been sliced in several places, was bleeding liberally and he was unconscious.

Madam Pomfrey was performing _Reparifors_ and _Vulnera Sanentura_ on Pete, gently whispering the spells, her wand carefully tracing his wounds as the bleeding slowed and the tissue began to mend. She'd learned much from Mary's wounds and the Mediwizards from St. Mungo's. Meanwhile she could hear Miss McKinnon use _Ferula!_ to splint broken bones on someone behind her. Pete was the most grievously injured of the Gryffindors and once he was out of immediate danger Madam Pomfrey released anger and frustration, complaining vociferously in what she seemed to think were hushed tones but were actually quite audible even over the din echo of yells coming from every direction in the Great Hall!

"Whatever is Hogwarts coming to? Death Eaters inside the castle walls? Unforgivable curses performed in the Great Hall! It's disgraceful! A war zone inside a school! I just can't believe it's come to this! How on earth did they penetrate the Castle's wards, its protective spells and enchantments? This simply will not do! Such atrocities must never be allowed to happen again! What could Albus have missed to allow this to happen? Oh Miss McKinnon, never mind me, I am just stunned and furious at tonight's disastrous turn of events! Now and then I just have to rage!"

"I am with you Madam Pomfrey! Your raged for the both of us." As Healers this was a nightmare and the two witches were up to their necks in the wounded and possibly dying. It was enough to break anyone's heart, especially a Healer's.

Just as the two seemed to gather their wits salvation came. Above all the moaning and crying, the screaming and the crashing Mars heard the strong voice of the Headmaster bellow " _Finite!"_

All those who were the last to be battling stopped and Dumbledore cast a silent _Levicorpus Horribilus_ selectively filtering only the Death Eaters with a graceful motion of his wand they rose high into the air. Some, were awake and protesting others were stunned but they all rose nonetheless. Dumbledore directed them to a cage that Professor McGonagall had transfigured from suits of armor and benches in the Hall. This is where they were detained while Moody confiscated all their wands.

House elves appeared now with floating trays of hot chocolate, strong sweet tea, Brandy and Firewhisky. The triage's defenses merely expanded as more room was needed and soon make-shift hospital encompassed one third of the Hall. Members of every house were injured and that included the Professors as well the Slytherin sixth and seventh years who were currently being detained with the Death Eaters. Slytherin was a surprising house however. A few fourth and fifth year Slytherins followed Professor Slughorn's brave defense of Hogwarts and were injured in the battle fighting against their own House! _Perhaps the Hat sorts too early or even makes mistakes,_ Mars concluded in the privacy of her own thoughts.

As proof of their allegiance, knowing full well that it was doubted, these young Slytherins offered up their wands for inspection practically begging Professor Dumbledore to use _Priori Incatatum_ on their wands or to at least perform Legillimency on them. Moody suggested Veritiserum but Dumbledore chose to simply believe them when they all swore their allegiance to him and the school. Dumbledore also noted the conspicuous absence of Messer's Snape and Black, as everyone was accounted for.

The Minister of Magic, The Head of Magical Law Enforcement arrived presently along with a mobile unit of Mediwizards from St. Mungo's. The Death Eaters were escorted to Azkaban. The traitorous students who fought alongside them were another matter. St. Mungo's treated their wounds and they were provided with food, water, clean clothes and camp beds. They would remain caged in the Great Hall until it was decided what was to be done with them. A fresh group of new, young Aurors arrived and began to search the castle for the replaced Aurors.

Those who were relatively unharmed tried to help restore the Great Hall to its pre-battle state but were frequently shooed away by devoted house elves who successfully took over.

"It's not wizard work!" One little old elf admonished the students while he worked.

The statues were directed to take up defensive positions at every entrance to the Castle. The suits of armor were all charmed by Professor Flitwick into surveillance of the Castle. Eventually the replaced Aurors were found. They'd been held in one of the disused dungeons. They were revived and treated for shock. Those who did not need to go to St. Mungo's were to attend an emergency meeting of The Minister, Law Enforcement and the staff, of Hogwarts in Dumbledore's office.

It was well past three o'clock in the morning before everyone involved in any part of the battle was finished. Tired but steadfast, Madam Pomfrey had her hospital to herself for the night except for Miss McKinnon. She was her protégé after all and she would make a wonderful Healer someday. Miss McKinnon had an intuitive sense where Healing was concerned and they worked very well together. Eleven beds had patients with varying levels of injury, Pete among them. All of the younger students, injured or not, were given drafts for dreamless sleep and were escorted to their houses by their prefects. Sirius arrived to escort Mars to Gryffindor Tower.

"Miss McKinnon, you were tireless tonight! You are a born healer, a natural. I thank you." Madam Pomfrey squeezed her hand and gave her a heartfelt smile.

"It was wonderful to be able to help Madam Pomfrey. I just did what you taught me to do. I will be back in the morning."

"I will be glad of your help Miss McKinnon but don't show up until you wake on your own and eat a hearty breakfast. A healer is no good to anybody if she isn't fully rested and present."

Mars nodded her agreement then turned to Sirius. He reached for and took her hand. They left the hospital that way, completely forgetting that their relationship was supposed to be a secret.

"Some night huh?" Sirius looked into her face to gauge her state of well-being. "You're un-hurt, you're OK?"

"I'm fine Sirius. You? Nasty cut there on your arm. Must've been good to have a loving healer handy." She tugged him closer to her as they walked through the corridor, his arm around her shoulder, hers around his hips, just they two.

"I am always good when I'm with you Mars," He whispered in her ear as they put one foot in front of the other. "I fought for you ya know?" Sirius slowed to a stop, under an archway that led to one of the castle's many alcoves, leaned the rest of his body into hers and wrapped both of his arms around her, pulling her as close to him as natural law would allow.

"I know." She whispered into his chest as she looked up to face him earnestly pulling his hips to hers as he steered her toward the wall. He held her there with the pressure of his body; their heat mingling, their hearts adjusting to beat together. Her eyes searched his face; the face she preferred above all faces, his grey eyes smoldering in his currently careworn expression, his brow furrowed with concern, his mouth tight as his jaw absently worked.

"We'll be alright Sirius," she breathed and then with all she felt for him she rose to her toes, pulled his face to hers and kissed him, willing his mouth to relax and join in. His hands moved from their place around her shoulders to low on her hips and he curled himself into her, lifting her onto his hips and pulled her close. Lovingly, he fully supported her; taking the weight off, so to speak, as her tired back pressed into the cool stone wall. His mouth relaxed on hers and it opened. They moaned together and remained there, kissing, hands exploring, hearts filling. The heat and that joyful tension they had ever only shared only with each other, rising.

For now, this would have to be enough. Eventually their mouths parted but they remained wrapped up in each other, alone in the quiet, deserted corridor alcove. They were not a couple for words. She expressed exactly how she felt about him with deeds, a soft brush of her hand over the hair, across the back of his neck, a wink when no one else was watching, the look in her eyes that only he had ever seen, often when he least expected it. He did the same and the meaning behind these secret moments was never lost on the other, never misunderstood. There would never be anyone in their lives who could replace the other. When they finally were willing to leave the sanctuary of the alcove, he placed her on her feet, their hands rejoined, they resumed their walk, hand in hand to Gryffindor Tower and to their friends who needed them.

James, Lily, Remus, Dor, Mary, Alice and Frank were waiting in the common room when Mars and Sirius arrived. It was after three o'clock in the morning.

"No class for the rest of the week." Frank announced as they entered through the portrait hole. "Thought you'd like to know. Alright you two?"

They looked at each other, "Alright. You?"

"Yup, We're alright."

"Some night huh!" Dor exclaimed.

"How's Pete?" Mary and James asked as one.

"He'll be fine, eventually. Needs to be there tonight for observation, probably tomorrow night too, his cuts were made by the same Dark Magic as yours were Mary."

With that Sirius claimed Dor's chair, who gave it up gladly and sat on Remus's lap. Sirius sat and gently pulled Mars onto his own. For a long while they all just were together in exhausted but companionable silence. It was that quiet time in the very early morning when silence is its deepest. The only sounds in the common room were their soft breathing and the coals sinking lower into the remaining ash that pulsed with new heat as the air mixed in new oxygen. Dor shivered and Remus held her closer with one arm and with his other aimed his wand at the fireplace. He levitated logs one at a time into the coals until the fire grew and crackled and warmed the room. Golden, red light illuminated their faces and they burrowed down into their respective seats to reabsorb comfy. The all stayed just as they were for quite some time. Exhaustion finally gave way to sleepiness.

Lily broke the silence. "Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't fancy sleeping alone. Could you three just transfigure these," she pointed to the sofa and chairs while directing the question to the three Marauders, "into mattresses and blankets and we could sleep here, all together?"

"Sounds like a plan." Never one to miss any opportunity with Lily, James rose from beneath her and performed the spells. No one went to their dorms to wash or to change; no one really cared. They all found a cozy spot and fell into an exhausted sleep.

When Professor McGonagall climbed through the portrait hole to Gryffindor Tower the following morning, she found her Marauders, their Minions and Frank fast asleep on the common room floor. They looked so young, peaceful and worry free, in sleep. She stood there, very quiet and memorized the sight of them. She had such profound fondness for these brave, intelligent witches and wizards. She rarely got to see them like this; relaxed and vulnerable and quiet. She treasured it and let the moment last for several. Her Gryffindors. She really didn't want to wake them. She'd give them some more time and with one last sweep of her eyes she committed to memory the sight of them and slipped out again.

The first to wake was Sirius and he found Mars on his right, her head tucked into the blankets, face inches from his, relaxed in sleep. His Marlene...he sighed and allowed himself some time to appreciate her. She was the finest witch he had ever known and there was nothing that he wouldn't give to her, sacrifice for her, do for her. Her hair was tucked behind her delicate ear, all but a few strands and he knew they would bug her. With a careful finger, he added them to the rest but remained where he was and drank in the sight of her face; the face he preferred of all other faces. He could tell by the light behind her that it was either late morning or early afternoon. Mercifully they had all slept in. He knew that his change in body tension from sleeping to waking was something that she would notice soon enough so he lingered, enjoying the quiet and his private view of her, sleeping, for what time he was allowed.

Mars stirred, inhaled deeply. She knew he was near, his scent filled her brain and she opened her eyes to find Sirius looking at her, his face wore a rare, unguarded smile and she returned it. "Morning, Star Boy." she whispered.

"Mostly or early afternoon; we all had a bit of a lie-in." Sirius said softly. He was reluctantly gearing up to be a part of the rest of their world; she could always tell by the color change of his eyes from warm dark grey to lighter guarded grey.

"Hungry?" she asked.

"Starving," he answered. His eye's shifted momentarily to smoldering mischief.

"For food?"

"Sure, let's go with that."

"Should we wake them?"

"I s'pose. Oi, Prongs, wake up, it's tomorrow!"

James shifted and found that Lily was curled up in his arms. "Did ya have to wake me Pads? Who knows if this will ever happen again?" James whispered louder than he meant to and nodded to a sleeping Lily.

"I'd wager it will happen again, maybe even when you are both awake," Mars whispered rather loudly back, trying her hardest not to laugh at her life-long friend James who, for all his brilliance could be quite obtuse. "Lily's coming around James, I promise."

"What am I coming around to Mars?" Lily asked as she shifted sleepily to find herself in James's arms. "Oh...I see. Well, good morning James. Sirius, Mars, good morning. What's the time?"

"Well done Mars! I think I hate you."

"You don't. You're both awake to appreciate this unprecedented moment. Potter and Evans not rowing but curled up into a cuddle. You two are so cute!"

"Shut up Mars!" Lily scolded but she slid into to James's embrace imperceptibly and smiled.

"Sorry mate." Sirius added with a smirk. "Moony, wake up! Lily wants to know the time."

"Oh, for Merlin's sake Pads it's half noon. Why am I the only one with a watch?" Remus whispered, obviously annoyed at being woken for of all things, the time.

"Don't tell me. I could care less what the time is! It's Lily who wants to know!"

"Lily, it's half noon." Remus answered more reasonably and rolled over to find Dor curled in his arms. None the less all this jabbering woke Dor too and she shared her announce with a grumble.

"What's wrong with you lot?" She snapped. "No class, no reason to wake up," she finished, snuggling closer to a delighted Remus.

"What're we all whispering about so loudly?" asked Mary who was between Lily and Mars. "Such a grump Dor! By the looks of it it's not such a bad morning: we're breathing!"

"Point taken Mary. Morning Remus." Dor purred.

"Nothing important. The time? We were whispering loudly about the time. Honestly! You're all ridiculous!" complained Alice. "Frank, honey wake up."

"Cheers Alice." Frank looked around. "Hey guys, good morning. What time is it Remus?"

"Two minutes later than when Sirius asked for Lily."

"Wow, listen to us. We're sound like the Walton's!" Mary said mostly to Lily.

"Who are the Walton's?" everyone asked.

"Good one Mary! Never mind, they're imaginary American Muggles." Lily rolled from her side and leaned up on her elbow. "Thanks everyone, I actually slept ... really well," she said yawning while she looked at James. He wasn't wearing his glasses. She'd never seen James's eyes without his glasses. She felt like she had missed a stair or stood up too fast. _Wow! They really are something._

"Our pleasure Lily," James said looking back at her. "Wonder what the rest of the house thought when they trooped past, on their way to breakfast and lunch?" He reached up to the table that had been shoved out of the way, found his glasses and put them on. "That's better." He smiled and rubbed his sleepy hair. It didn't look that much different first thing in the morning Lily thought and in the semi-darkness of the common room, she blushed.

"Orgy?" Sirius offered.

"Better an orgy than a scared Gryffindor!" Lily added. "It's different being a role model in war time."

Just then Professor McGonagall climbed through the portrait hole and surveyed the scene. "Good morning Gryffindors. I trust some of you ... slept," she loved giving them grief, it kept them on their toes. "There is food in the Great Hall if any of you are still … hungry." She laughed in the privacy of her own mind. "It's been a late morning for most everyone." She gave them the evil eye, struggling to stifle her own smile as she shared it with her charges very rarely. She certainly wouldn't be sharing it during this priceless moment.

"Starving!" they said in unison and moved to rise.

"I shall expect to see all of you downstairs in half an hour. Do wash up and change, you look like Marauders!" Professor McGonagall chose to smile now but turned and was out the hole before anyone could speak.

When they arrived in the Great Hall, Mighty was waiting. He sat with the dignity of a proper post owl in James's usual spot and cuffed him upside the head with his wing as he sat down. "Oi! What was that for?" James glared at Mighty but the bird just stuck out his leg. James removed the letter; it was from his parents so he opened it right away.

James,

You're late! You should have owled last night! Send word with Mighty now! I hope he has shown you our displeasure. You're lucky this isn't a Howler, Death Eater attack on the Castle and not one word from you! Your mother's been worried sick! Send word straight away that you are fine. Still, battling Death Eaters; well done son! (Don't tell your mum I said that; she's not pleased). We are waiting! Love, Dad

James found a quill and some parchment and wrote back straight away.

 _Dad, Thanks for the cuff 'round the ears! I'm fine. We're all fine. Well, Pete's in hospital but he's expected to recover. What's wrong with a quick Floo chat, eh? Or, your Patronus? I had a hard-enough night without being greeted by an angry bird this morning. Love to you all, James_

"Here Mighty". James rolled up his reply, tied it to Mighty's leg and offered the irritable owl some of his pumpkin juice. Mighty regarded him imperiously then had a long drink and took off again with a second deliberate but gentler cuff to his head. "Bloody bird!"

Just as Sirius took his seat, his own owl, Freyja landed and gave him a cuff on the head as well and stuck out her foot. It was also a letter from Monte and Sirius wrote a response without even even reading it.

 _ **Dear Dad and Mum, Sorry 'bout that! We're fine. Pete is in hospital but expected to be OK. I am sure I deserved this scolding. Love, Sirius**_

They gobbled breakfast as Freyja flew off to Potter Manor and went straight up to the hospital to see Pete and deliver Mars. Pete was awake. He had bandages wrapped around his abdomen but he smiled when he saw them. The Marauders, their Minions and Frank circled his bed and Mary took his hand.

"It was Mulcibur. He used the same curse on me he used on you Mary!" Pete explained.

"You feeling better Wormy? Had us worried when we couldn't find you and when we did, you were unconscious and bleeding all over the place!" James looked down at his friend. Wormy always seemed to come off the worst in a fight no matter how much protection they tried to provide him. Never during full moons but always in a fight.

"I'm fine, just haven't stopped bleeding yet. Have to stay tonight. Madam Pomfrey says I'll be out tomorrow, just in time for class," Pete frowned.

"No class tomorrow Pete," Dor said gleefully. "Like a four-day weekend but not quite as good, obviously."

"What I want to know is what Snivellus and Reg were up to during the whole thing?" James asked. "I quite looked forward to a public duel with Snape and was deprived the opportunity. How could they allow Death Eaters into Hogwarts when their own house has eleven-year olds, celebrating Halloween along with the rest of the school in the Great Hall? We know Snape and Reg were in the Room of Requirement but I'd like to know why. I'd have thought they would have been in the thick of it. I had a prank just for Snape and had to waste it on Mulcibur!"

"Well, if the room works as well for them as it does for us, then I doubt we'll ever find out unless we can catch them at something outside it. It won't give them up any more than it will give us up." Remus told the group as they sat around Pete's bed.

"I'm not sure I want to know." Sirius said quietly. "At home, he's her creature and here, he's Snape's! If I thought I could change his mind, I'd keep trying ya know? But he's never been willing to go against our parents before so I doubt I would do any good now. He won't even speak with me!"

"I might be able to learn something about the whole fiasco. I am Head Boy. We have a meeting with Dumbledore later this afternoon." Frank said as he nodded to Lily and Remus, "We'll learn what we can. In the meantime, Pete, you should rest up."

The Marauders and Frank gave Pete a nod of encouragement, Mary kissed him on the cheek and the rest of the Minions ruffled his hair.

"Thanks guys. I'll be fine. Go learn what you can and Mary can fill me in on her next visit." Pete looked hopefully at Mary and she nodded her reply.

The afternoon was spent over The Marauder's Map. They took it in shifts, spying on the population of the castle. Mars spent her time in hospital tending to the needs of the injured. Lily worked with Professor Slughorn, replenishing the stock of medicinal potions for Madam Pomfrey. But James and Sirius, glued to The Marauder's Map, followed Reg's movements all afternoon. Reg spent time with Snivellus in their common room, then they both went to Dumbledore's office for about three quarters of an hour then, they went to the Room of Requirement, came out for lunch, returned until dinner and then went back again.

The only time that Sirius was not watching The Map was when he went to retrieve Mars but he demanded that James or Remus watch Reg for him. The sixth year Gryffindor's were anxious to hear Frank's report when they climbed through the portrait hole.

"Let's all go up to our dorm and we'll fill you in," Frank volunteered. Once there he took the lead and shared the details of the big meeting.

"Apparently, late last night, it was Reg and Snape who gave up the Death Eaters way in to the castle to Dumbledore! They're playing both sides! Dumbledore went with them to their common room where he and the Heads found a giant old wardrobe that had been magicked into a passageway between the Slytherin common room and somewhere, possibly Borgin and Burkes. It's in Dumbledore's office now with wards around it."

"You got that right Frank. Reg and Snape _are_ playing both sides. What do they plan to do with those who actually were part of the attack?" James asked.

"All those who are under age are suspended from school until after Christmas holiday. Dumbledore didn't really approve but even he could see they couldn't be allowed to stay. Those who are of age are being sent to Azkaban until second term starts after Christmas. I don't really know what option he had, they are adults and all of them claimed that they acted of their own accord."

"Azkaban at seventeen!" Lily exclaimed.

"Well Lily, there's no other recourse under Wizarding Law so hopefully they will realize what they've a lot to lose and come around." Dor explained sounding justified.

"Nearly Headless Nick told me Dumbledore actually argued against sending the students of age to Azkaban; says if there is a chance to change their minds and win back their hearts it won't happen there," Remus added. "You know how he is about second chances. Besides, he doesn't think that we should be using Dementors to guard Azkaban in the first place. To be fair, prisoners there don't get the opportunity to reflect and consider their actions." he spoke this part to Dor. "The Dementors will be on them so quickly, I'll be surprised it any of them survive to return second term."

"But this isn't the second chance for Mulcibur and Avery, it'd be their third and that's one chance too many!" Sirius argued.

"I agree with you there. They're too stupid to change their minds. Still, they'll probably head straight to Voldemort and his ranks will swell a little more. There doesn't seem to be an easy answer," offered James. "There should be a place for young offenders learn from their poor choices while they to do time, separate from Azkaban. Magical Law Enforcement should see to that."

"Muggles call it juvenile detention or Juvy. It's like pre-prison...last chance before hard time is the idea: rehabilitation and reintroduction to Muggle society. It must work sometimes, come to think of it, it sounds like a Dumbledore type of idea," Lily offered.

"Like Pre-Azkaban?" Alice sounded confused. "Well I suppose if they were incarcerated without Dementors, maybe they could be brought around, feel remorse ya know?"

"First, they'd have to be removed from their homes. All this starts at home." Sirius actually looked sad for a moment but then sadness was replaced by anger.

"This has a silver lining; Halloween." James almost whispered.

"What would that be James?" Mars asked sounding desperate for a silver lining.

"Quidditch. Their team is gone!" James blurted. He hadn't meant to say with such enthusiasm, especially it out loud but it just slipped out. He almost regretted having done so immediately given the shocked look on Lily's face but he was immediately defended by his team.

"There's my captain! The only player left is Reg. See Flower, the bright side." Sirius sounded as gleeful as James and slapped him good naturedly on the back.

"Quidditch! Really? At a time like this you're all thinking about Quidditch," Lily scolded, sounding much like her old self. _At least she didn't call him 'Potter'._

"I'm Captain Lily, not a monster! I'm just saying that it's the silver lining; a bit of an up-side to all this."

"He's right Lily. No one was killed and while Pete was seriously injured, he's on the mend. Quidditch is another window into Slytherin. Who will play when their whole team is suspended or in Azkaban?" Dor added evenly.

Lily looked to Remus to support her argument but was shocked further when she saw a smile cross his face as well.

"Lily. You're right. We shouldn't be happy exactly but it still offers us a window of opportunity. Their House's response to these mass suspensions and prison will reveal loads. House unity, house division, talent, new leaders, coping skills. Quidditch may just be a game but people unconsciously reveal a lot in competition. Will they unite behind Reg? Will their loyalty to Voldemort and his whole misguided recruitment scheme unravel with so many of their most intimidating House members _away_. Do we really have allies in Slytherin house or not?" Remus laid out the argument for the team's attitude in terms Lily could at least think about.

"Dinner?" Sirius asked brightly, looking between James and Lily, grateful that they hadn't reverted to _Evans_ and _Potter_. "I'm starving."

Lily shook her head in disbelief and actually stopped speaking. Perhaps they were right. She'd been wrong about almost everything before; maybe she was wrong now. When they sat down to dinner, Mighty, had returned with a letter and The Daily Prophet. There were sighs all around so James decided to open his letter first.

Dearest Son, Thanks, for responding so quickly. We were worried James. Yes, Dumbledore sent Fawks with news that you were OK. The Floo network was flooded with correspondents as every family had the need to know about the welfare of their children. But we really needed to hear it from both of you. Call us sentimental but, there it is. You will be very disappointed and angry when you read The Prophet so maybe skip it or wait 'till you are really in the mood. It is highly critical of Dumbledore, claims the school is not safe and once again recommends its closure. There, you have the gist of it. Looking forward to Christmas holiday though it is still a while away. Look after each other, all of you and focus on school and Quidditch. All our love Mum, Dad and The Elves

p.s. Nila has sent a care package full of treats including some chocolate for Remus. Keep an eye out for it as it took several of the Ravens to carry it. It should arrive in your dorm presently. Be sure to give them a treat! Mum

 **"** Well, no need to read this rubbish tonight then is there?" James scowled and stuffed The Prophet into his Lucky pack. "Chocolate just for you Moony! You must be Nila's favorite." James added and punched Remus on the arm.

No one really felt like reading The Prophet; it really was a terrible source of news. It always created more problems than it solved, so the sixth years just settled in and ate their dinner, looking more forward to the treats Nila sent which were likely waiting in James's dorm right now along with several Ravens. By the time their plates cleared, Dumbledore had risen from his chair. The Great Hall became completely silent.

"I will be brief. Eleven students are currently in hospital and all are expected to fully recover. Nine students, as you can imagine, have been suspended, all from Slytherin House and the remaining adult student attackers are currently in Azkaban." The hall drew a collective breath. "We have discovered the leak in our security wards and the school is once again safe and under our control. Quidditch we'll be postponed due to the loss of Slytherin's Quidditch team with the exception of their Seeker. There will be tryouts in two weeks-time to form another team." Another collective sigh.

"This should be interesting! A New team! Consisting of whom?" Sirius spoke under his breath but he was heard at the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables, (the students there were all nodding and whispering to each other about this news). Professor Dumbledore might have heard him as well but gave no indication.

"Though everyone involved in the attack is a member of Slytherin House, all of Slytherin House did not rally to the attacker's side and that is an important distinction. It must be noted that several young Slytherins fought alongside us to defend the school and its students. Furthermore, it is due to two brave Slytherins that we have found the manner used to breach the school's defenses. Please do not demonstrate the same blanket hatred toward the Slytherin students who remain at Hogwarts as was demonstrated by the enemy last night. If you do, I will know and it will not be tolerated. I am aware that this year has been very difficult and it is my hope that we can get back to learning magic. The Aurors will remain here for now and please bear in mind that they were not our attackers. They were impersonated using Polyjuice Potion so they were attacked as well. If there is anything else that you should know, I give you my word I will tell you. If you decide to go out on to the grounds after dinner, there will be patrolled areas within which I expect every one of you to remain." His eyes briefly cast the Marauders way but for no more than a moment. Message sent. "Everyone must be in before dark no matter the time and nine o'clock curfew still applies to everyone. Thank you for your attention. If you have questions or concerns please feel free to come see me. The new password is _Hoc Unitum Stabit_."

The Great Hall remained quiet for about half a minute and then students moved their benches back as they rose to leave. No one was openly hostile to Slytherin House but there remained a frosty feeling of mistrust, a deep divide that could not be bridged by eloquently articulated platitudes. The Gryffindor students of all years left the Great Hall as a group and headed for the common room. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw were of like mind. It seemed like each House moved together as one, the youngest students were shunted to the middle of the mass while the older students took to the perimeter. At the entry way each group went their separate ways. The littlest first year Gryffindor, who's name was Flynn Ried, a brilliantly red headed witch gave the Fat Lady the new password _Et Melius Cras_ and the whole of Gryffindor House entered Gryffindor Tower together.

It was difficult to fall asleep that night. In every dorm on every floor of Gryffindor Tower, Gryffindors were buzzing with talk of Halloween. In The Marauders dorm treats were provided to the Potter Ravens who nibbled thankfully and then took flight into the darkness headed for Potter Manor. Lily wondered a lot these days about Potter Manor. They kept Ravens and had Nila, the nanny of sorts. What must James's home be like. Lily could only imagine.

Similar talks took place in Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff too. What was up in Slytherin House was anyone's guess. Everyone was preparing for something though, no one knew for what it would be. The First years, especially, began planning how to get everywhere they needed to be, as a pack. They practice defensive magic until they couldn't keep their eyes open. The following morning, most had fallen asleep fully clothed but woke ready to begin.

They weren't the only ones who woke ready to begin. The morning migration to breakfast looked more like troop deployment. Students were practically marching, they looked sharp and tense, not sleepy-eyed and tousled-haired. The youngest students looked the most determined. Owl post was different, as well. Everyone received owls from someone, mostly from parents. As proper as post owls could be, they were even more so now; watchful and suspicious, glaring at everyone, except their owner. During class, everyone paid closer attention, they took better notes and practiced with renewed purpose. The teachers were delighted to see this more serious side of their charges.

It wasn't only the living who were different. The portrait people visited as often with the living as they did with the dead, and spent more time in their frames keeping watch, drinking tea, not sherry and their gossip was mostly factual rather than fanciful. The ghosts were ever present; no one knew where the ghosts went when they weren't present but where ever that was, they weren't there now; they were where ever the students were. The teachers stopped spending time in between classes catching up on evaluating their student's homework and started spending this time, in the corridors keeping watch or taking brief walks of the grounds, usually in pairs, scanning the grounds and talking in hushed voices with the Aurors. The Aurors were less stern and more helpful. Even Peeves seemed to be different; showing himself often, patrolling the corridors! Filch grudgingly took to watching out for the students rather than watching out for rule breakers while threatening them with disembowelment or chains! House elves were actually seen doing their work which was also unheard of. Life at Hogwarts changed.

The weather changed too. November brought with it the first frosts of the year. Morning treks across the grounds were crunchy, red noses from the pre-snow weather were in evidence on many faces and House scarves and hats, mittens and earmuffs were everywhere.

Late on the afternoon of the first evening of November, James and Sirius were plotting. Well, James was plotting and Sirius was being convinced. Cloistered in James's Captains office, they drank strong, sweet tea and Sirius listened while James put forth his argument.

"Sirius, it's easy, we use the invisibility cloak and follow them around, think of it as reconnaissance. Reg can't be a Death Eater! Not yet! He's what? Fifteen? If we can find out how Snape's manipulating him then we stand a better chance of rescuing him. Trust me."

"James, you always say that right before we do something we shouldn't. I do trust you! But that trust has landed us in some pretty dodgy circumstances! Perhaps one of my worst decisions, it was … trusting you. But, I am a fool, as you well know! Like minds! If we're caught, I hope Reg sees it as rescuing but somehow, I doubt it; meddling more like. I do feel responsible a bit desperate now; he could end up dead or worse, in Azkaban! We have a lot working against us. Snape appeals to Reg's need for a better big brother. Reg feels like I abandoned him." Sirius was pacing now and his hands would not rest, moving from his wand to his chin to his lips in a desperate attempt to settle on a solution, his head low as if to study the floor.

"Pads? ... Pads, stop." James took Sirius by the shoulders and held him there, at arms-length ducked his head down to force Sirius to look him in the eye.

"I left him there James. I just left him there with _our_ parents! I was so chuffed to get away, ya know and still in mostly one piece! So, thrilled to finally be away from them. So, damn happy to be with you and your parents! I left Reg, my own little brother, there, all alone."

James could not argue with Sirius because what Sirius said was factually true if not circumstantially so. Sirius hated reasonable James at times like this, when Sirius, knew he was, in fact, partly to blame for anything. James knew this so he took a light-hearted approach instead. What mattered now was to keep Sirius present and take action. Doing something always helped.

"It'll be fun Pads, snooping around Snivelly. We'll get the goods on them first and then come up with a plan, eh? Who knows, maybe they'll catch us and you can hex Snape all you want! I'll be glad to help!"

Sirius found it hard to resist James when he was plotting and acting a fool just to make him feel better. "All right, all right! You're right, we don't really know anything except that he at least, did the right thing telling Dumbledore about the wardrobe passageway so all's not lost yet. So, when do we start?"

"According to their most recent pattern, they should be meeting up to use the Room of Requirement tonight at eight. So, we follow them to the seventh floor and when the Room opens for them, we sneak in with them. Remus is right; the room won't betray them. We'll only discover what they are up to if we can slip in with them, beneath my Invisibility cloak. Mind you, if we should blow our cover, I'd love a reason to hex Snape into the next life, but...we would lose out on gathering potentially valuable information so we just have to keep our heads and think like Marauders. Just we two, no Wormy or Moony. It's our vendetta anyway, really, against Snape. We get into trouble...well, we will need them on the outside to carry on. We'll need the Map, our mirrors, your knife, the cloak ... what else?"

"Luck?" Sirius, laughed his barking laugh which was a good sign and his eyes took on their scheming shade. "We should disillusion ourselves too. We're getting too big for pairing under the cloak. Too bad we never succeeded at placing an Undetectable Extension charm on it."

James was glad to have succeeded in pulling Sirius back from the pit of despair. Sirius had his demons and James loved him for overcoming them every single day. His demons were justified. He experienced terrible cruelty at the hands of his mother, neglect from his father and living at Grimmauld Place which was infused with dark magic couldn't have been a laugh. Being surrounded by fanatics all his life he could so easily have just given up and let his demons win. But he did not! There were a few times when he was close to being lost, especially after the incident when he almost got Snape killed, almost got Remus into terrible trouble and James stopped speaking to him. But James eventually forgave him and secretly vowed to never be that angry with him again. James was Sirius's anchor. James would risk anything to keep him whole and happy.

"True, a bit of luck would be good. Mars will be in hospital until curfew, Lily will be with Slughorn, we should go tell Remus and Pete what we're up to now in case we forgot something. You know Remus. He'll remember and Pete always manages to come up with the one thing we never do. Also, they can help keep everyone occupied. Besides, they'd be rightly furious if they found out we did this without including them at all. If we got into a fix, we'd never hear the end of it!"

"True. Besides they can help. We'll give them one mirror and the Map. We probably forgot something."

"Yea, but where's the fun without a bit of risk? Besides, it's not like Snivelly and Reg could duel us! We'll be fine Pads. Too bad you two can't just talk about it, ya know."

"I've tried!" Sirius said desperately as the made their way back to the castle. "He won't listen to me and he won't talk to me either, doesn't trust me anymore...so nope, no conversation possible."

"Well then, it's up to us to listen. Besides, if we don't use our Marauder skills we'll lose 'em. Think of it as Auror training!"

"Good one James, Auror training indeed!"


	11. Chapter Eleven: Snooping

**Chapter XI Snooping**

At half seven, the Marauders were in their dorm, James and Sirius detailed the plan to Remus and Pete who agreed.

"You two have vested interests here so it should be just you. But, mind how you go. Sirius, I hope you learn something that will help."

"Thanks Remus."

Remus disillusioned both of them. It was bizarre really to follow a disillusioned person with your eyes. If you didn't know they were there it was a perfect disguise but if you did know, well, it was almost nauseating. James moved to cover them with the invisibility cloak and you could see shimmering motion in their background right before they disappeared. "Get going you two, your making me dizzy!"

Remus walked to the portrait hole and made a meal out of leaving Gryffindor Tower, giving his two disillusioned and invisible friends time to navigate their way out. They were getting too tall for this. James and Sirius moved seamlessly together, having done this hundreds of times, never having to say a word. Carefully and silently they navigated their way to the seventh-floor corridor of Barnabas the Barmy. Once there, they waited for Reg and Snape to show which thankfully, they soon did. They paced in front of the blank stone wall three times and the door to the Room of Requirement appeared. As Reg and Snape moved to enter, Sirius and James followed close on their heels and miraculously they were able to slip in behind just before the door closed.

"So, Regulus, have you been practicing? I will know if you have not."

"All the time, Severus, I practice all the time. Go on, give it a go."

James and Sirius watched as Regulus and Snape sat on the chairs that the room provided seemingly doing nothing. Both wizards were quiet, seated and facing one another looking into each other's eyes barely blinking. They remained that way and silent for a whole minute before Snape finally spoke.

"Very good Regulus, you have been practicing. Bear in mind that I am not the Legilimens The Dark Lord is. For that matter, there's also Dumbledore who is most accomplished and then there is your mother. You will need to keep it up and we will only know how good an Occlumens you are once you are tested by an enemy. Now let's reverse the process. Your turn."

Regulus still needed to use verbal magic but this was to be expected. _"Legilimens!"_

Snape smiled, a most disconcerting smile. "Go deeper Regulus, violate my mind. Take from it what you will."

Silently James and Sirius watched the two wizards do mental battle. _So, Snape was helping Reg become a Legilimens and improve his natural tendency for Occulumency! This was not what they were expecting to find and it opened up a whole new level of potential treachery. Severus Snape was an Occlumens and a Legilimens!_ _Did Dumbledore know this? How could he not if he was such an accomplished Legilimens himself? Who had Severus violated? Had he violated Lily? Had Reg violated anyone yet? Why were they doing this in the first place?_

"Enough! If you can't take it Regulus then it will never be yours." Snape hissed in a very quiet voice. "However, it is quite another thing to do to someone who has defenses. You are not yet ready to serve The Dark Lord in this way but you show improvement. You will eventually have to accomplish it non-verbally obviously. Still, he will be pleased with your progress as an Occlumens. I told him you are a natural."

"How can I test myself then? You train me so this is a false environment and you can defend yourself."

"Well, who would you like to fool and who would you like to violate? Crabbe, Goyle, Mulcibur, Avery are open doors to you now and will never serve to improve your skill. You have to attempt to penetrate someone from whom you want information and you need to hide from someone who can read you well. So, who?"

"Sirius." Regulus said without hesitation. "I'd like to fool Sirius and I'd like to penetrate Evans."

"Lily? Why Lily?" Snape's face struggled to remain a mask. As always, his eyes didn't reveal a thing but his body stiffened and James stiffened as well. James didn't need to be a Legilimens to understand him. He still referred to her as Lily.

"Well, I'd like to fool Sirius so he leaves me alone. Thinks I'm OK, ya know? I don't want him to sniff out even a hint of doubt on me because he'll try to change my mind. I do not doubt the rightness of our work Severus but I do doubt my role in it...only sometimes mind you but there it is. If Sirius senses that doubt he will mistake if for lack of conviction. It is difficult being Sirius's little brother you know, always being second and... being the brother of a filthy blood traitor, the world's first Slytherin to be sorted into Gryffindor! It's a cruel joke! I fear it taints my worthiness in the Dark Lords eyes." Regulus never looked away from Snape's eyes and Snape remained quiet.

"I don't mind being used," Reg continued, "if I support the reason behind my use. My mother uses me for all sorts and still, I am nothing more than a tool to her, a replacement for her beloved Sirius. I'd like to be more. She tries to conceal it...to mask it as disappointment in Sirius's choices, but she's a lousy Occlumens Severus...she always loved him most and he betrayed her. He discarded her love like it was something to run from. I am Sirius's replacement and that hurts me. My being in service to the Dark Lord in turn hurts Sirius which is something that I desire."

"Furthermore, as much as she supports the Dark Lord, my mother... she covets the status and the protection and the reflected power that he provides as much I think, as she supports the cause. I don't like being used for that without at least receiving real love from her in return. My father might actually love me so I can do all this for him without further reward. I tell you this now so while you rummage through my mind at will, you never think that you discovered it or that I tried to conceal it from you. These are not weapons for your use against me; they are a truth about me that I am entrusting to you."

Snape nodded his approval of Regulus reasoning concerning Sirius. "So, you are _OK_ then?" He asked this with a look of disgust on his lace like being OK was somehow shameful or embarrassing; as if being in service to The Dark Lord should be enough.

"I'm getting there. I love the work, everything that I am learning. Occlumency helps me wall off my jealousy and my feelings of betrayal. I think eventually, if I practice religiously it won't even hurt when I see either of them."

"And Lily? Why Lily, specifically?"

"I'd like to penetrate Evans for two reasons. First, well, you know... I would enjoy it." Regulus actually smirked and James saw Snape grizzle against his will. "It would be practice. Second, I would like to do it for you." Regulus raised a protective hand between himself and Snape as Snape moved to close the space between them and continued looking him directly in the eye. "Allow me to explain. I think I could learn something of Dumbledore through Lily's perceptions of the Marauder's imagined role in his defense. They oppose us and they are loyal to Dumbledore. Remember Severus, Evans is a prefect so she is on the inside. She is loyal to them so ... I think that I could learn something of value to the Dark Lord." Severus's black eyes betrayed nothing and James realized in that moment why he had always detested him. He was closed off, almost like a non-human who never allowed his feelings to show. It was like looking into the eyes of a shark; no humanity revealed. But there was humanity in Snape, his body language betrayed him and James could read him like a book. He did not like what he was reading now. He did indeed love Lily and at least where Lily was concerned Reg could read it too.

"Severus, I know that you love her. That makes you ill-suited to use her and you have failed there anyway." Reg backed away from Snape as he leaned in closer, another deliberate intrusion into Reg's personal space. "Don't be angry with me! It is just the truth. I know that you love her and I know that you are ashamed of loving her. I don't think that this is a good state of mind to be in when you are in service to The Dark Lord. He will discover this. Still, I think that she could be of use and I think she would welcome an offer of friendship from me. She is pure of heart and you know how easy it is to use a pure heart. They never want to believe the worst of anyone." Snape didn't back away but stopped advancing so Reg continued to explain. James thought that if Snape was as good a Legilimens as he claimed, all this talking was pointless.

"Her intention would be to save me for Sirius. But I think she would ultimately do this for Potter. I think she loves him Severus, not that she knows it yet but I do think it is true. For years she protested far too much." Now James could see even Snape's eyes betray his emotion for the first time ever. James was not at all sure that Reg was correct about Lily's feelings but he was sure he might have inherited sadism from his mother. Snape's obvious pain seemed to give Regulus more satisfaction than it gave James.

"She would see it as a win-win situation, do-gooding. She would do this for Potter and I could use that, use her feelings for him and I would do it for you. This way you won't have so much to conceal from the Dark Lord, the mixed emotion and crossed purposes. Besides, it is clear that the Dark Lord has ... other purposes in mind for you. I hope you understand me Severus." It was well done. Hurting Severus, looking for his reaction and then buttering him up with a complement. James thought it was too bad that Reg was on the wrong side. He was good at this game.

For quite some time Snape just sat there apparently thinking over what he had just heard. He studied Regulus, rose from his seat and Reg rose as well as if to protect himself if it became necessary. Snape walked around him, hands clasped behind his back; sizing him up and Reg unwillingly, allowed this. Finally, all he said was, "So be it."

James never felt the need to get out of a place so badly! They'd heard something far different to what they expected to hear. This was sinister. He really needed to talk to Sirius now and Remus and Lily and Dumbledore and his parents! He wished that they could just sneak out. But he would have to wait. Mostly, he needed to talk to Lily.

"I think that this has been time well spent Regulus. Comrades share secrets. Yours are as safe with me as I know mine are safe with you. Now, let us go ... before our absence is noticed. You showed courage tonight, speaking to me in this way. Perhaps you will prove to be more useful to The Dark Lord than you ever imagined."

Snape and Regulus left the Room of Requirement and James and Sirius stayed. They just stood there for a while, still disillusioned and under the invisibility cloak though neither were needed any longer. James felt like he'd been confunded. Finally, James came out of his stunned state and ripped the cloak off of them.

"Penetrate Lily!? Thinks he'd enjoy it! Oh God Sirius this is bad! He's jealous of you and he is hurt, you were right! He is doing all this to hurt you and possibly to hurt Snape. This is unbelievable!"

"Not all of it. He's not doing all of it just to hurt me James. He is looking for another family just like I did. Difference is I got you and your parents and who has he got? Huh? Snape as his new and better big brother and Voldemort as what, his new mummy? You're right though; this is bad. Legilimens and Occlumens rolled into one, well two ...The both of them! Well, at least Lily got away from Snivellus when she did! What are we supposed to do with this, huh? I thought that they were just a couple of deviant dark wizards practicing dark hexes or spells! I never imagined we'd find a couple of criminal masterminds! Or worse, mental rapists!"

"Well, one thing I know for sure! Lily will hear about this tonight. No one will be penetrating any part of her if I have anything to say about it! Sirius, I don't think you will be able to talk him, outta anything!"

"James?"

"Huh?"

"I...had the mirror out... the whole time." Sirius looked at his hand and sure enough there it was, covered in sweaty fingerprints. "If Remus and Pete were paying attention, they will have heard everything."

"Remus! So, did you hear all that?" James yelled into the mirror.

"Yes James, Pete and I heard everything."

They didn't even bother with stealth now. They left the Room of Requirement and headed straight for common room at a run. James burst through the portrait hole and immediately looked around for his people.

"Lily, we have to talk. Sirius, I leave this to you three. Tell whomever, whatever you think you think they should know. Considering his animosity toward you, Mars certainly must know everything, agreed?"

"Agreed. James, use the Map and the cloak and take my half of the mirror." He handed James the mirror and pointed to Remus's hands for the Map. Remus handed it over as requested and reached out to Dor while Pete reached out to Mary. "Where are Frank and Alice?"

"They are in the library Sirius, why? Should we go get them? Sirius, what's up?" Mars looked confused and alarmed. He reached his hand out and took hers and nearly drug her up the spiral stone stairs.

"James." Sirius looked to his best mate one more time and said, "Mind how you go. We'll get Frank and Alice; no matter what they are up to. See you both back here in, what...an hour?"

"I'll let you know with the mirror."

James took Lily's hand and with a sweep of his other hand, they disappeared. "Lily, I will explain everything when we get outside; I need some air! Just be as quiet as possible and don't worry, we've never been caught under here. Stay very close to me, it covered more when we were eleven. We all fit under here then. Oh...and wand at the ready."

"James, wait just a moment. I am coming with you but... under where?"

"My Invisibility Cloak."

Lily was speechless. She had never snuck through the castle at night before. But she was obeying James and stayed as close to him as she could. She never said a word and tried to breathe as quietly as her racing heart would allow and she stepped as lightly as her numb body could. It was eerie but definitely exciting, breaking the rules. She'd also never been invisible.

James kept a tight hold of her waist, keeping her close to him. He consulted the Map that he held in his wand hand, and she leaned into his body allowing him to wrap he up in his free arm. Lily kept hold of the Invisibility Cloak for them both as if she knew how this should be done. Maybe sneaking came more naturally to her than she'd realized before now. James choose deserted corridors. He took her through parts of the castle she had never been in. But she was silent as he'd asked and followed him willingly. They took a passage behind the mirror on the fourth floor and followed it for some time before exiting out onto Hogwarts grounds. No one was outside and it was quite chilly but James just kept walking with her body tightly wrapped in his arms, they stayed close together under his cloak arriving at the Whomping Willow. He used his wand to levitate a stick and press a nob on the Willows trunk and all its restless motion ceased. Then he put a hand on her head, carefully ducking her down under the branches until they were safely beneath the Willow, within its root system in the passage way to The Shrieking Shack. Only after perusing the Map one more time did he finally remove his invisibility cloak.

"We're safe now. Here, I have a jumper for you." He reached in his lucky pack and stuffed the cloak in while rummaging around a bit before he pulled out his Quidditch Captain jumper and he handed it to her. "Put it on or you'll freeze." He pulled out another jumper for himself, put it on and then pulled out his trusty bottle of Fire Whisky. "For shock, ya know." He poured them each a shot and drank his down in one. "Lily, you may want to drink that, seriously. I'm not trying to get you drunk, honestly but I have some things to tell you and believe me, you'll burn it all off in no time!" She downed hers in one too, sniggering at a shocked looking James.

"Well, I have had it before, you know."

"No, I didn't know but that's good, so I don't feel like I am corrupting you."

"James, what's going on? All this cloak and dagger! Literally. First, where did you get that cloak? Lumos."

"Lumos. Ah, that is better. I'll answer that but once I have we have more important matters to discuss. It was my dad's and he gave it to me on my eleventh birthday just like his dad did with him. It's a family heirloom and I'll give it to my first born when he or she turns eleven. It is unique and extremely old; it's been passed down to the oldest child in the family for centuries. It is perfect Lily, it gives impenetrable cover, always. It allows the wearier to perform any magic they choose. Of course, it only conceals visibility not sound. It can't be removed by anyone who is not under its concealment; it will never betray the wearer. Beneath it a person can only be seen on the Marauder's Map and that's probably only because I helped make it. It reflects all spells that attempt to disclose whomever it is protecting."

"Wow! Really? Um, James, when we have had our important discussion could I take look at it, hold it maybe?"

"Of course, Lily. Now, on to the reasons that I have dragged you here. Lily, do you trust me?"

"What? James, of course I trust you! I came with you, didn't I? Didn't ask why, just came. You saw my Patronus before I did for heaven's sake! Why would you ask such a thing?"

"Well, this trust you have in me is new. You trust, that if I asked you some sensitive questions it would not be because I am a prying creeper or a toss pot but because I had a very good reason for asking?" He looked at Lily in a way he had never looked at her before, rubbed his chin and licked his lips. He was ... afraid … for her.

"Yes James. I. Trust. You. Just ask!"

"Fine. So, all those years that you were friends with Severus, did you ever feel like he was concealing things from you?" Lily had never heard James call Snape by his given name and this alone alarmed her.

James continued, "Did you ever feel like, well...I don't know what it feels like...but did you ever think he could, or wanted to know what you were thinking without asking?"

Lily was shocked but he was being so serious now that she took him seriously and thought back … Severus was ashamed of her, she knew that and she knew that he fancied her. Did those count? So, she finally spoke her thoughts aloud. "I know he was ashamed to be my friend and ... I know he fancied me."

James did not act out like she had expected him to, gave no sighs of revulsion or any sign of anger and this surprised her as well. He just continued to look very serious and deep in thought.

"Did you ever feel like he was ... I don't know what it feels like ... but, I do know that you need to maintain eye contact so ... did you ever feel like he was trying to read your mind? Or steal your thoughts? Or gain access to your personal memories or feelings that no one has the right to except you?" He looked at her now with tremendous worry and concern, waiting for her answer.

"Severus was always very hard to read even as a kid. Eventually, I decided that he wanted to keep some things from showing, like his father's abuse and maybe how he felt about me. He had a lot to hide, I suppose. I could always tell when he was keeping secrets and he took ages to tell me about his dad's drinking and general abuse and that his mum, though a witch was weak and abused too. That he was neglected and that they were quite poor. He always looked like a street kid, ya know? Poorly fitting clothes and generally unkempt. So, he had a wall up even when we were close, or when I thought that we were close. He did share personal things with me but not details so I suppose he was hiding those. He did look at me sometimes, in a way that no one has ever looked at me before or since. It was unnerving, the way he looked at me. But I never imagined he was trying to read my mind? And I could never get a read on him when he did look at me that way. He was always very closed off to me when he was in one of these ... moods, or whatever they were. I call them moods but they weren't exactly, I just didn't know what else to call them. There were times when I thought he had questions for me but he never asked them and I never encouraged him to. I used to get very impatient with him when he acted like this and sometimes we would argue. Is that what you mean? But I don't know if he ever tried to read my mind." Lily became very still and quiet. She was thinking and remembering as if to see her memories from a new, more mature point of view. "Well, now you mention it, I think perhaps he did. Why? Can he? Read minds, I mean?"

"I should tell you why I am asking. You know that we have been following him and Reg on the Map and they are always together but separate from everyone else." She nodded. "Well, Sirius and I just followed them into the Room of Requirement. Snape is an Occlumens and a Legilimens. Lily, he _can_ read minds. And he can't be _read_. Apparently, Reg can too and he's helping Reg improve both skills."

"Oh! Oh." It all made sense now; the ever-present closed look in Severus's eyes. "So, he did try to read my mind! How dare he! I wish he'd called me a Mudblood years ago!"

"Really? Well, yes that's it exactly. He's a Legilimens and and an Occlumens." James stood up to pace but the tunnel's ceiling was low so he just hunched over and paced anyway. Lily waited and then figured that there would never be a more appropriate time to say some things that she had only ever thought. Before she lost her nerve, she plunged on. "I never felt for Severus the way he felt for me. If what you say was true of him then ... I mean before, that he could possibly have been able to read my mind or thoughts or feelings then ... he has always known that I never fancied him. He also knows other things that I did try to conceal from him ... well from everyone really; they were my business, they were private. But if he had this skill then, then he knows more about me than I would like."

James stopped pacing and turned to face her, his hazel eyes so expressive. "Want another, cuz I certainly do!" He retrieved the fire whiskey and popped the cork; pouring himself a generous measure and then held the bottle toward her, asking. She nodded and he poured until she held up a hand for him to stop. He stoppered the bottle and looked at her again. James and Lily both took a long drink and sat in silence for a while; waiting for the liquid courage to do its job. When she felt it reach her head, she, spoke.

"James, if he could read my mind then, then Severus knows who I fancy." She did not come out and say his name, she just let it settle in the air and in his mind. "Does this mean that the person I fancy is in any more danger because I fancy them, more than they would be anyway, with the way things are now?"

"Possibly. Probably. This person isn't a coward, is he?"

"No. He's not a coward, on the contrary, he's very brave."

"Lily, you are in danger and not just from Severus, but from Reg as well." Lily was shocked again and looked confused so James hurried to explain. "He is going to offer you a chance to think that you and he can become friends. He will do this so you believe you can save him from Voldemort because he thinks he can fool you with Occlumency and read you with Legillimency. He said all of this to Snape and we heard the whole thing. Regulus thinks that you would try to save him for Sirius and by doing this for Sirius, you would also be doing it in turn, for me." James head dropped into his hands and he held it as if it hurt. "He also thinks that by this association, he could learn about us. By using Legilimency on you ... he could learn from you, about all of us I mean, not just about you and me, but about Dumbledore, as well, about whatever plans he's made that you as a prefect are privy to, regarding Voldemort." He inhaled like he needed more air to breath. "Lily, I am so sorry! I never meant to draw you into any nefarious plan or anything like that, I swear! When we went snooping I thought they were just improving their dueling skills, ya know, new hexes and improving their battle magic. I never imagined this!"

"Why would you think that I would think that? You didn't drag me into anything! Well, you did drag me into the Whomping Willow but it was my choice to allow you to, honestly. If anything, you're trying to help me with something that I dragged you into."

"Oh, I dunno, invisibility cloaks and dubious maps and hidden passageways in the castle. I just want you to know that I would never lead you to harm, ever! I would do anything to keep you safe! And you didn't drag me into anything either! I'd follow you anywhere."

They just sat there, sipping the remains of their fire whiskey, lost in their own thoughts and fears.

"How about you let me see that cloak now?" She smiled at him and he smiled at her then dug it back out and handed it over.

"Don't forget a super small pack with a huge, undetectable extension charm on it and secret two-way mirrors!" Lily added and all James could do was shrug. "Can only you open it then, your pack? I have heard that charmed mole-skin bags will only open for their owner."

"No, you could open it. The charm I have on it allows only people I trust to open it so, yea, you could have a shifty if you want to. It's my lucky pack, I've had it all my life. Mind you, it is pretty full."

"You are brilliant James! No really, you are a great wizard!" James was actually blushing but the light was low. Not so low that he missed her smile. She looked down at his cloak and felt it with her fingers, she touched it to her face and smelled it. It didn't smell like anything. In fact, it smelled like nothing. She couldn't see her hands while she did this. "Your dad used to use this, did he, probably just like you, covert operations and reconnaissance missions?"

"Probably. He borrows it back from time to time. I don't know what he gets up to though when he does. I always carry chocolate for Remus and we should both have some, for shock."

"No. No thank you. The fire whiskey has taken care of the shock. So, James? We could stay out here as late as we wanted and get back into the castle without anyone knowing by using your cloak, the Map and a secret passage? Come to think of it, how did you know any of what you know about the Whomping Willow?" She was too clever to keep secrets from. Still, that last secret would remain so, for now.

"Well, yea, I s'pose we could. And about the Whomping Willow, well you know about Remus, right? He told us you figured it out way back. Well, it is here for him to get to the Shrieking Shack while protecting others from finding him when he is Moony. But you must already know all this. He just showed it to us, the passage way and everything. Lily ... you know, I carry other people's secrets too and without their permission, there are things that I can't share with you."

"No problem. I have learned enough secrets for one evening. What else did you and Sirius learn? God, he must be upset about what he heard. His little brother feeding information to Voldemort, even if it is indirectly. It is indirect, isn't it? Reg isn't a Death Eater, is he? Is Snape a Death Eater?"

"I don't know, they were wearing long sleeves. I thought you just said you'd learned enough secrets for one day!" James looked at Lily, surprised at her capacity to keep on, keeping on. "They are both in service to Voldemort though so I 'spect that is their goal; to become Death Eaters."

"Get that Fire Whiskey back out, I could do with just one more. You're right, I burned it all off! Who knew a hushed, desperate, conversation held in secret beneath a seriously violent tree burned so much energy?" At that they both smiled a little. "Desperate times and all."

"I should check in so they don't worry." James reached into his pocket and pulled out his half of the two-way mirror. "Marauders? Anyone there?"

"Hey Prongs! You and Flower OK?"

"Yea, we are Pads. You? How did they take the news?"

"Oh, ya know, fiendish wizards reading people's minds ... just another day here at Hogwarts."

"We'll be back within the hour. Moony, what's the time?"

"Hey Prongs, it's half eleven." Half of Remus's face filled half of the two-way mirror. "Hi Lily. You OK?"

"Hi Remus, yea, I'm good. You all OK?"

"We're fine. We'll see you when you get back K?"

"See you then." And suddenly, the mirror just looked like a mirror and they were gone. After such revelations, it seemed foolish to discuss mundane things. It was James's turn to take a risk. "So, Lily, this wizard you fancy. He's a good bloke and all, right? He treats you well, with respect and he's sincere?"

"Well, you know me pretty well now James, what do you think?"

"Impertinent eh?"

"Maybe, I dunno. I think I have fancied him for a long time, actually. He's brilliant, a great wizard, he's fit and honest and he knows the value of friendship and loyalty and he's very brave. He is learning how to treat me, mind you he used to be very annoying and immature but he was younger then too. I am sure I have not always been the little angel I am now. So, yea, he's OK."

"Fit? You think he's fit?"

"Obviously."

"And does he feel the same way about you?"

"That is impertinent! But, if you must know, yes … I think he does."

James was the one coloring now and no amount of low light could hide him. "OK. Back to the castle then?"

"Already? We still have a while. Take me onto the grounds James! Just for a bit. I'm not scared, I'm with you."

He rubbed his hands together as if he was thinking of all the places that he would like to take Lily. "You will have to stay really close to me, OK?" They climbed out of the roots to the Whomping Willow. James arrested its restlessness with his hand from here. They climbed out from under the tree all the while he minded her head for low lying branches, he found a stick, levitated it to the nob and the ceaseless tree carried on.

"This close enough." Lily grinned.

James pulled her in a bit more. "This close is better. Where to?"

"I dunno James, surprise me."

"OK. I'll take you to my favorite place on campus. You can even see Sirius's star really well from there, the castle will be behind us but you'll have a wonderful view of it too, all lit up and warm! You know, he was named for a star, right?"

"Well, Mars does call him Star Boy so I surmised as much but I don't know much about the stars."

"You'll have to come home with me some time and check out the stars from my balcony. Dad is a nerd and has all sorts of magical instruments. Owns a telescope and we used to star gaze all the time. I can show you Sirius's star when we get to my favorite spot."

Just before half twelve, James and Lily were almost home. James pulled out the mirror. "Sirius, open the portrait in thirty K?"

"You got it Prongs." Thirty seconds later, a still invisible James and Lily approached the portrait of The Fat Lady. Without breaking stride, the portrait swung open; Sirius was there to greet them and once inside it closed. They could still hear the Fat Lady protesting.

"I saw your star Sirius! James showed it to me."

"Of all things, you were alone, under the invisibility cloak, on a lovely night like this and you show her my star! Prongs, you have a lot to learn."

"She didn't say that was all I showed her Pads!"

"Oh...well then, well done."

Lily arrived at the Headmaster's at precisely eleven thirty the following day. His door opened at her touch and she entered his glorious office. He was not sitting behind his desk as she would have expected. Instead, he was sitting in a lovely, high back arm chair, facing the window at an angle. Fawkes perched on the back of his chair. There was an identical chair waiting for her and the two were comfortably arranged so that while seated you could see outside, or the fire in the grate as well as the person sitting next to you. It was cozy and a more intimate setting than Lily usually found here. This time she took notice of all the magical silver instruments Dumbledore kept in various places around the marvelous room. Then she spied his telescope and smiled. _James and his dad, when he was a lad, stargazing on his balcony._

"Welcome Miss Evans! I am at your service. How can I help?" Professor Dumbledore agreed to see Lily, no questions asked. He rose from his chair as any gentleman would do and indicated her seat. Tea? Hot chocolate?" He asked while Lily sat first and then he sat as well.

"Thank you, Sir, no I'll wait for lunch. Sir, I'll get straight to it; I know your time is valuable."

"No more valuable than yours Miss Evans. How can I help?"

"I have good reason to believe that I am meant to become the victim of a Legilimens and I would like your help. I would like to learn defenses against it, if there are any and I'd like you to do it to me so I know what it feels like and maybe be able to fight it off."

Dumbledore regarded Lily with concern. "Is this Legilimens a student Miss Evans?"

"Yes, sir he is a student."

"Please tell me it is not Mr. Snape." His light blue eyes saw deeper into people than most.

"Oh, so you do know about him? No Sir, it is not Snape though, I wouldn't put it past him."

"Snape, is it now? Not Sev? Well, it's sad but probably for the best. Miss Evans, Mr. Snape could not nor do I imagine has ever been able to perform Legilimency on you."

"With respect Sir, I think he could. We're not friends anymore as you've no doubt noticed and I don't think that he holds me in high regard."

"On the contrary. He holds you in very high regard. You misunderstand me Miss Evans. What I mean is that you have managed to prevent him from doing so for years now. I cannot think what has changed about you that would suddenly make you susceptible to him."

"Oh ... well I am different now, I have friends, other than him. How did I prevent him from performing it for all these years? I didn't even know he was one until recently."

"But I sense a growing strength in you this year. You are opening yourself up to a wider world. I am certain Mr. Snape never managed to perform Legilimency on you. His chances of performing it now are nil. Still, you have always known that he has things to conceal, his father's behavior, for example. His feelings for you? If I'm not mistaken, you were the first person on whom he ever considered performing Legilimency."

"I don't understand Sir."

"You don't deny that he fancies you?"

Lily shook her head as if in confession. "Miss Evans, he has always fancied you. I am certain he tried to read you, in hopes of discovering whether or not you felt the same."

"He could have just asked! I never fancied him. He knows how I feel but, but to know my feelings, he didn't need to invaded my mind."

"So, it's Mr. Potter then." Dumbledore looked like he was certain of her answer before she spoke.

"No! James would never perform Legilimency on me!" Lily answered, confused.

"Pardon me. I misspoke. I meant Mr. Potter is the person you fancy and you feel certain that Mr. Snape knows."

"Oh…well, yes. But he's not why I am here, either. Neither James or Snape are the person I am concerned about."

"Good. Could I know who this person is?"

"Yes, actually I think that you should know. It's Regulus Black Sir."

"Oh. Well, this is sad news. I had hoped that he hadn't gone that far. He is a skilled Occlumens, it is true but he's chosen to expand his horizons, has he? Well, perhaps it was inevitable. Still, there is always hope. People can change their minds. I never cease to be delighted by the human capacity to grow. But, I digress. Can you tell me more, without betraying your sources, sources that you are sure of? Loyalty is a necessary trait when it comes to informants."

"Yes Sir, I am certain of my information. Well, Snape is involved. He's the one who is helping Reg to improve his Occlumency and learn Legilimency. Reg got it into his head that I would be _useful_. I am a prefect so he thinks I have access to information. Reg seems to think that he could pretend to be my friend because I would try to save him for Sirius's sake. In turn for James's as well. It is probably true that I would do, but I would do it from the heart, for Reg's sake. Anyway, more importantly, Reg thinks that he can learn about your plans to fight Voldemort through me."

"I see. Well, if I were a Dark Wizard then I would ask you to let him see things I planted in your mind to indirectly learn of their plans to support Lord Voldemort. Nasty business really, stealing thoughts and manipulating feelings. Occlumency itself is a substitute for the only real defense Miss Evans which is nothing more or less than a pure heart. Pure hearts cannot be used for evil purposes."

"But they think that my pure heart is precisely what would make me a prime candidate for ... being Legilimized, or read or whatever you call it."

"Well then they are mistaken. Let's use an example, shall we? Do you think someone could perform Legilimency on Mr. Potter?'

"James? No Sir, I don't."

"And why are you so certain that James could not have his mind invaded?"

"Because James is open. He is honest. He knows the difference between secrets and privacy. He keeps some things to himself because they are private but at the same time he has nothing sinister to hide, so no dodgy secrets. I'm also certain he would know what they were up to, he would be able to tell somehow, though how, I can't say. James is a good judge of character and would never put himself in a situation where he was around a bunch of dodgy wizards."

"Exactly. Mr. Potter has a firm sense of right and wrong. He is an excellent judge of character and in its own way, this is a form of Legilimency. He is quick to draw conclusions about a person, in other words, he's quick to judge and it is both a blessing and a curse. Dogs have the same ability. They can sense when someone is, to use your terminology, dodgy. Please listen carefully because it is important that you not misunderstand me. Mr. Potter does not need Legilimency because he has a wide range of innate abilities that accomplish the same thing. He pays genuine attention to people. He learns who he can trust and he confides in them, in turn, so he shows them his trust. He can sense if there is something not quite right about someone and in such cases, he does not draw conclusions, he asks. He might ask them if something was wrong. If he could he help. He is aware of his surroundings. He reads subtle indicators we give off all of the time. For example, body language and eye dilation, personal special requirements, the directness of a person's gaze, the direction they look while they are thinking or remembering, the sincerity in a handshake, how a person, walks, how a person, listens. Do they smile with just their mouth or does it show in their eyes, or on their whole face? Mr. Potter is a master at reading people thus, a good judge of character." Lily nodded her agreement of his assessment, so Dumbledore continued.

"There are times and places Miss Evans, when the use of Legilimency can be justified but not as a substitute for having sincere relationships with people. Not all practitioners, but some who practice Legilimency lack Mr. Potter's abilities and they fear intimacy. They also lack the fortitude to simply ask. They have poorly developed interpersonal skills, fear vulnerability and see these human imperfections as weaknesses to be guarded against. They seem to think that to misunderstand someone's motives or intentions, in other words, to make a mistake, is a something to be ashamed of. We all make mistakes about people but some people do this far less often than others. James is one of those people who is rarely wrong about a person. Does that make sense to you and your understanding of who James Potter is?"

Lily was surprised. She realized that she had been unconsciously nodding frequently as Professor Dumbledore described James and he was spot-on. Dumbledore was not being remotely cryptic as he was known for being, on the contrary, he was quite candid and forthright. Dumbledore knew James through and through! He knew the same James Lily knew now. He also just called him James, which must mean something. He also knew that Lily fancied James. He was very observant. The James Lily was getting to know must be the real James. Dumbledore watched Lily considering his words.

"Here is another example. Has Mr. Potter ever pretended to be something or someone that he is not?"

Lily did not hesitate with her answer; it didn't bear considering. "No. James is never pretentious. He is unashamedly himself; the good with the bad. Admittedly I haven't found much that is bad but I've only recently been willing to look." Lily knew she colored when she said this and Dumbledore pretended to adjust his glasses so as to spare her his noticing. She'd said too much but for some reason, she didn't mind. "He's just, James. He does tend to learn from his mistakes and he tends to not make the same mistake twice. He was certainly not mistaken about Severus."

"Well, he tends that now. I have heard him make at least one mistake repeatedly. Perhaps he's finally learned that lesson too."

"May I ask what mistake that would be, Sir?"

"You may ask but that would be telling. However, I am certain if you think on it, you'll know what I mean."

This caused Lily to color again and she could hear in her head James yelling, _"Go on Evans! Go out with me!"_ This time the memory caused her to smile and she nodded. "Sir, may I ask one more question?"

"You just have done but I will indulge another."

"Does anything go on in this school that you don't know about? You knew about Snape, and Reg and you seem to know a lot about James and me too, for that matter. And if you do know everything that goes on here, how do you keep it all straight in your head?"

"That's two questions Miss Evans." He was smiling as he said this so Lily remained relaxed and listened carefully. "I am certain that I do not know everything that goes on in my school as Halloween will attest, but I have a very steep learning curve and more importantly, I have help. We all need help from time to time. I learned about the Slytherins and their secret cabinet the day before Halloween thanks to some very observant and loyal friends." He nodded to the portrait people on the wall who always seemed to be sleeping. Their heads all rose as one and they smiled and nodded their appreciation to Dumbledore for acknowledging their continual support and then went back to pretending to sleep. Lily knew now they were pretending and this made her laugh out loud. "I also have wonderfully observant teachers, Hagrid, Mr. Filch, the portraits all around the Castle, the ghosts and the house elves to help me; I alone could never stay on top of everything. But, as you rightly say, it is a lot to keep track of. Why don't you ask your friend Miss McDonald about how I keep it all straight; she'll know."

"Yes, Sir I will do that. Thank you, Sir, for your time. It really has helped. It's true what they say!"

"And what would that be Miss Evans?" His light blue eyes twinkled down at her through his glasses.

"Dumbledore is the greatest wizard of the age, Sir."

"Miss Evans, please, you'll turn my head! All I'm saying is, to be comfortable with exactly who you are is the best defense against being used by anyone in any manner. Legilimens and Occlumens always want something from someone so they always have ulterior motives. Furthermore, they always feel the need to, not be known, in other words, to hide. Somewhere along the line of their life they have learned to not trust people and to feel disproportionate shame. It's one thing to do something you are ashamed of and quite another to adopt shame as a lifestyle. It's tragic really. Some of the greatest wizards in history struggle with shame. Only the greatest learn to not expect perfection of themselves. Have you the answers you came for?"

Lily considered. She did not expect this at all but now that she thought about their conversation, she got more than she came for. "Yes Sir, I do. If I may though, how do you know that I fancy James?"

"I have observed you over many years so, pardon me for saying this but ... you protested far too much."

Lily smiled up at her Headmaster and he in turn smiled down at her, his whole face participating. He was, of course correct. He was known for being a great wizard but he was also kind and in great wizards, that was a rare quality.

"I am famished and I hear the house elves have a delicious treacle tart that I must sample. Shall we?" Lily nodded and Dumbledore opened the door to his office and they walked together to the Great Hall.


	12. Chapter Twelve: The First Marauder

**Chapter XII The First Marauder**

The most important thing about November was Sirius coming of age. Hard as it was to believe, Halloween just happened a couple of days ago and was still all too fresh in the minds of those who were to plan how to celebrate Sirius's seventeenth birthday. So much had happened since then. Lily recommended Mars and Sirius enjoy some private time in the Prefects Bathroom, Remus recommended a clandestine trip to The Hogs Head and James suggested the Room of Requirement. The Room of Requirement offered everything that the other two locations could without risk so it was decided a party in Sirius's honor should take place there. The guest list was necessarily small, as the Room of Requirement needed to remain a secret for as long as possible. With the entire castle on high alert, managing it would be a challenge. By, seven that evening, the room was ready.

Sirius knew something was up; he'd been wished happy birthday by nearly everyone in the castle; the portrait people, the ghosts, the house elves and sadly, Peeves reserved a special treat for him; he hovered over Sirius in the corridors everywhere he went. The teachers awarded him points just for showing up to class, The Potters, The Lupin's, The Pettigrew's, The McKinnon's, The Prewett's, The Longbottom's, Aberforth, Rosemerta and even the Aurors sent him gifts by Owl Post. And, while James could lie to some people and only when necessary he couldn't lie to Sirius so eventually he spilled.

"Look Pads, it's meant to be a surprise so at least act like you didn't know!"

"James, I really don't know what's planned so I won't have to pretend. There will be fire whiskey, right?"

"Of course, there will Pads, it's a party! But the witches have been in charge of the specifics so it'll be a surprise to the both of us."

To please the witches, Sirius donned a blindfold and let James steer him into the room and upon arrival Sirius's mates broke into For He's a Jolly Good Fellow. James removed the blindfold and Sirius actually was surprised. It was a toga party and everyone was dressed accordingly. There was music and drinks and even food. The food had been the biggest challenge as this amazing room never managed to provide food but Mary had a chat with Niki and the house elves took it from there. The drinks were provided by Aberforth and Rosemerta with congratulatory card expressing only their disappointment that he'd not be celebrating in Hogsmeade. Pete alone, would not be drinking as he still needed to take healing potions, furthermore Mary insisted so Pete complied happily. Togas were provided for James and Sirius as they couldn't be seen in the corridors dressed for a party that wasn't supposed to be taking place.

Togas donned and ale in hand Sirius fell into a festive mood instantly. Mars in a toga certainly helped to keep his mood up.

"Ya know Prongs, I never imagined my coming of age birthday would be celebrated in the castle. I always imagined us out there, ya know, getting pissed and carousing. Now, we have people being cursed in the castle, Death Eaters attacking us in the castle and Aurors watching everyone's every move in the castle. It's like they are all conspiring to squash the youth right out of us!"

"I know Pads. I feel like we've let you down." James was a little pissed now but not so bad that he wasn't thinking clearly. Just enough to speak his mind.

"Bollocks! You've never let me down. How were we to know that this is what the world would be like when I came of age. Just imagine what it may be like when it's your turn. Besides, Mars is in a toga so it's more than perfect!"

Remus joined into the conversation, slurring slightly. "Sirius, I'll have you know that I was in favor of The Hog's Head but was outvoted. Still, we are here with our best mates and our favorite witches! Happiest seventeenth Pads!" Remus yelled and wobbled a bit as he did.

The evening never deteriorated into a drunken-mates type of party but then again, nothing this year had gone according to the plans they'd made years ago when life wasn't so dangerous and they still had disproportionately unrealistic notions about adulthood. Those dreams were for children. With James still clear headed enough to be on Map duty Frank and Alice departed around eleven to share some private time in the dorm. As Head Boy, Frank assured them that he could talk the Aurors around to his reasons for being out after curfew. Next to leave were Mary and Pete. Mary was quite pissed but Pete, true to his word was totally sober. James offered them the invisibility cloak but Pete assured him they were well acquainted with the secret passageways. By midnight, Remus and Dor decided to call it an evening; classes would start up again on Monday and they had some homework to finish up which they both claimed would be a hoot while they were under the influence. That left Mars, Sirius, Lily and James. Lily and James knew what Sirius wanted most: to be alone with Mars, all night. They two took their leave and made an adventure of it by going the long way around to get back to their common room; utilizing nearly all the secret passageways.

"Alone at last! Mars, I'd have been happy with you in that toga! But here we are, all alone and we've all night, so even better.

"We do have all night Star Boy." Mars purred. "Now bring your fine self over here and let's celebrate your coming of age properly. We have all night and we are quite safe. I have plans for you!" She tugged Sirius over onto her lap and nuzzled his neck. "We have this cozy pile of pillows right in front of this lovely fire, we have nibbles and fire whisky and each other."

"You are enough. Just you." Sirius looked at her beautiful face and saw her eyes dilate just for him, her breathing was deep and slow and he could see her pulse in the hollow of her throat. He traced her lower lip with his thumb and lifted her hair over her shoulder. "None of it makes any sense without you Mars. You are everything I will ever need and I am yours. Do with me what you will!"

"And, I am yours Star Boy. I've always been yours. Besides, we're betrothed!"

"The one right thing my parents ever did." He laughed and he tucked in to her neck, nuzzling and a low growl escaped his lips. She leaned her head back and he kissed her throat and her collar bones and he heard her whisper his name.

Mars lay all the way down so that the light from the fire illuminated Sirius. He was a Star for sure and she loved him. Witches the world over would swap their wands to be where she was now but that was just their fantasy. He was her reality and he was better that any fantasy, or fire whisky, he was better than anything. She pulled him down to lie next to her and it felt right. He traced her hips with his thumbs and she unbuttoned his shirt. She had to see all of him. He allowed her to look at him. She traced each of his scars with her thumbs and watched his eyes as they smoldered with arousal and love.

They stayed together in the Room of Requirement all night.

The rest of November rolled by and life at Hogwarts settled into the new routine. Slytherin House had a whole new Quidditch team except for Regulus who was still their seeker and now their Captain. Regulus had made no attempts to befriend Lily. Snape gave the Gryffindor sixth years a wide berth and that suited everyone. The most dangerous Slytherins were suspended and while everyone maintained high alert status the whole school shared a lighter mood as the holidays drew closer. Lily felt desperately guilty because she had only written home once since school started. She hoped to use Mars' owl, Persephone for this delivery but she was currently off hunting so Lily decided to walk to the Owlery and borrow a school owl. Protests erupted when she announced where she was going and James jumped at the opportunity to escort her.

"I told you to use Mighty whenever you like Lily," James protested.

"Alright but you need to introduce us properly. He makes me nervous."

"It's all show. He knows to never misbehave with you. I've already given him full instructions but you're right, a proper introduction is polite."

"You are a much better son than I am a daughter; you write your parents often. It's just I find it difficult to tell them anything because they know nothing about Voldemort or the war. I can't tell them about Mary's and Pete's attacks because it would require that I explain who attacked them and why. I certainly can't mention Halloween because they know nothing of Death Eaters. It's like we live in two separate worlds and they never really meet." Lily hung her head and James rubbed her back between her shoulder blades.

"How 'bout I help you write something? Surely, we two can think of something to say. Besides, whenever I don't know what to say, I just listen; so, we'll improvise ask loads of questions about their lives. Whatdayasay?"

"Brilliant! Why didn't I think of that? James, if you aren't careful, I'll grow to depend on you. What kind of Marauder would that make me?"

"Lily, it's Marauders...not Marauder. We are a team and I rely on my team for all sorts! It's sorta the point of being a team. Besides, would it be so bad, depending on me? Come on! Let's do something never before done in our history here! We'll go to the library _together_ , find a cozy outta the way spot and write them a nice long letter. You'll see, it'll be fun!"

So, while Lily and James went to the library together for the first time, Remus and Dor were on Map duty. It was a dreary day, raining one minute, snowing the next then, raining again so all that beautiful snow melted into a nasty slush. It was the last Saturday before Quidditch was finally due to begin; the first match would be between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff so the sixth year Gryffindors could watch. It would be difficult to root for either team because they didn't care who won just so long whoever did win, beat Slytherin!

Remus and Dor were curled up in the Gryffindor common room by a comfy fire, trying to combine homework with Map duty but it was difficult. They were far more interested in the goings on in the castle and at least for Dor, the Map was still a novelty.

"So, Remus, you performed all of the spells for the map that allow everything to move in real time, right?"

"I did." Remus looked a bit embarrassed and she called him on it.

"You are too modest Remus Lupin! You're a brilliant wizard! There's no point in trying to deny it. There's more to magic than Potions ya know? In fact, I bet some would argue that Potions is the subject least needed to be a proper wizard!"

"Don't let Lily or Slughorn hear you say that!"

"OK so definitely magic. Still, I would never have thought to create such an object. What got you started on it in the first place?"

"Well, it was James's idea and the truth Dor is, the Map stems from the darkest secret in my life. I am not sure I am ready to tell you about it."

"You don't trust me yet?"

"It's not really about trust Dor...it's more about, well I'm not sure really except to say, I would hate for you to think less of me."

"But James, Sirius and Pete know. Do they think less of you?"

"Well, I didn't actually tell them, they found me out; back in second year."

"If they think no less of you Remus then why would you think that I would? I'm your biggest fan!"

"I never would have told them voluntarily, at least, I don't think I would have? But like Sirius told Mars the other night, keeping a secret is not the same thing as telling a lie. Once they discovered it, well ... it's not easy to lie to Sirius and it's impossible to lie to James! I might have been able to fool Pete but I chose not to."

"Why would it be easier to fool Pete?" Dor sounded concerned that Remus would lie to Pete.

"Pete is not the suspicious type Dor. He helps with our pranks because he enjoys his part in the planning and the comradery. He likes to see us happy about it when we are successful. Pete never strikes first in a duel, like all the ones that we've had with Snape and the Slytherins, he joins in to defend us and expects the same from us in return. Pete is not naturally devious, he's a bit naive really. Having friends and being part of something, like being a Marauder is what's most important to Pete. He thinks more simply about the world; not like Sirius, who's always suspicious, or like James who is always curious. I don't think he would have ever figured me out if he had not been led on by those two. Pete values being valuable to us. I often think, if Pete never knew, he'd have saved himself a world of trouble."

"Oh. So, if I were to have discovered your darkest secret on my own and I told you what it is, right now, you wouldn't be angry with me or try to save me from a world of trouble and lie?"

Remus actually sat up, away from where he and Dor had been leaning together on the back of a shared chair. He became instantly tense and the sound of his heartbeat pounded in his ears. His vision narrowed. He sat there for a bit just looking into the fire. He was terrified. _How could she possibly know? They had always been so careful. Well except when Sirius nearly led Snape to his death._ He shook his head and stood. Lily riddled him out so why not Dor? He paced for a while hoping to keep his panic at bay. To his surprise, his pacing was halted by the touch of her hand. She took hold and stopped him in his tracks, tugging him down to sit beside her again. For some mysterious reason, the pressure of her touch slowed his heart, eased his breathing and when his vision widened and she was there, looking at him with kindness and concern. He let her pull him back and he kneeled in front of the chair Dor sat in and faced her. She waited. He took her hands in his and then looked into her lovely light brown eyes. He couldn't bring himself to say the words so he waited too. She would have to say it and he would watch her so carefully, for...for what? He waited.

"Remus, I have just … always been very interested in you, I was observant and payed attention to you all the time. I noticed monthly absences that occurred during the full moon. I observed you during the whole lunar cycle; how you act when you can feel it's nearly time, how you are and how you look when it's over. You are always most at ease mid-cycle. I noticed, way back when we were in second year I think, at a certain point, James and Sirius and Pete changed how they behaved with you; they became more protective. All your ridiculous excuses for being gone; no mum could be that sick, that often and still be living! I guess I have just always known."

"Known what, exactly. You have to say the words Dor, please because I won't."

"I know," she leaned very close to him now, he could feel her breathing on his neck and in his ear, "that Remus Lupin," she removed her hands from his and placed them around his neck and pulled herself off of the chair so her little body was in his lap, "is a werewolf."

She just held him, she held him with a ferocity unlike any embrace he had ever received. She kept her face near his ear and with conviction she kissed him on the neck. She just stayed there. She made no move to leave or to allow him to leave her. So, he relented and held her in return breathing in deeply the smell of this lovely little witch who didn't seem to want to abandon him anymore than his friends had, or Dumbledore or his parents or his teachers. So maybe not the best kept secret after all but these were people he trusted except for Snape. He was certain that one day, Snape would reveal it when it could do the most damage. Still, it was a secret from everyone else. They stayed this way for quite a while until she finally leaned back and looked him in the eyes with deliberate challenge. "I'm not leaving and nothing that you could do would make me." Then she kissed him on his mouth and he kissed her back, relief spreading to his entire soul.

Pete and Mary were alone as well. They had studied for over an hour and their attention was waning.

"You know," Mary started, "we could always go to Professor Celestino's classroom and use his star ceiling. I think that is the point of it, to be useful when the weather isn't cooperating. What do you think, wanna come with?"

"Now why didn't I think of that! Yea, let's go spy on the stars since they are hiding above the clouds! I'll leave a note for the guys, you go leave a note for the girls and we're off." It was the work of five minutes before they were back down in the common room and on their way out the portrait hole. They walked right by Remus and Dor and didn't even notice they were there.

"We could have just told her, or them," Mary said as she pointed back behind them first to The Fat Lady then to the Aurors who were guarding Gryffindor Tower.

"True. We are off to the Astronomy classroom! Not the tower, the classroom if anyone asks!" Pete shouted to the Aurors and The Fat Lady as they made tracks down the corridor.

"Right. We'll let them know. Stay out of trouble!" the Fat Lady yelled to their backs.

"Do we look like two people on our way to trouble?" Pete turned around and challenged the Fat Lady.

"A witch and a wizard, holding hands and off to an empty classroom? It spells trouble." The Fat Lady could be quite cheeky when she was in the mood.

Mary and Pete continued on their way through the corridors. "Want to take a short cut Mary?"

"Sure, why not. You won't pretend to get us lost or anything like that now will you Pete?" Her eyes were a cool blue now with just a touch of sea green around the edges. Her hair shined like onyx in the torch light and she bore a mischievous smile.

"I wouldn't ever have thought of such a thing if a certain lynx witch, didn't think of it first!"

Needless to say, they never made it to the astronomy classroom. They found other activities that proved much more diverting and since the Map was currently laying unobserved on the chair behind Remus and Dor, no one was the wiser.

Mars and Sirius were actually hard at work in the Room of Requirement. After hearing about Reg's plans to hurt Sirius, Mars demanded that Sirius train with her in dueling. Mars knew that Reg would, without a doubt, recommend to his little Death eater friends to target her, if he ever discovered how much she meant to Sirius. While their friends knew the basics, and swore to keep it a secret, this still meant that they would have to tread carefully from now on. No more hand holding in the corridors even when they were sure they were alone, no more anything that might reveal even the slightest clue of what they were to each other.

They worked on offensive spells today. Well, offensive is too strong a word but it was clear that if she wanted to be able to defend Sirius and not stand behind a shield charm all the time, she would have to become even more adept at dueling than she had done growing up next door to Monte. So, Mars and Sirius dueled. She was better than Sirius expected.

"Try to remember Sirius, I grew up next to Fleamont Potter! James and I used to duel all the time!" she said as she landed him on his butt with a well-placed silent Petrificus Totalus.

"Oh, you are a dangerous witch Mars!" Sirius complained as he dragged himself off the floor.

Taking advantage of his lapse in concentration, she laid him out again. "You can't treat me like you care Sirius! We're dueling! Come on, just try and kick my arse!"

Sirius was reluctant to actually hex Mars. How was he supposed to duel her like this was a real duel! "Maybe this won't work, Mars! Let's just snog instead!"

"Not a chance Star-Boy, you worry about my ability to defend myself and I worry about defending you! I plan to show you what I got!"

"Oh Mars, please do! Show me what you got!" Sirius was teasing her now and it was actually infuriating.

"Arghh! Sirius, this is serious so take me seriously!"

"Believe me Mars, I take you very seriously! I just have this distracting memory of my birthday, you in a toga and hexing you is not the first thing that comes to mind!"

She would not be patronized by Sirius Black or distracted, regardless of how hard he tried. She adored him, but she didn't want to die in a duel with some Pure-Blood idiot who wanted to use her to hurt him or worse, just hurt him. "Well, you better hope it's not also your last! So, are you going to let me win or are you going to grow a back bone and duel with me?" She yelled and then tackled him Muggle style to the matt.

James and Lily were actually in the library, together, for the first time, at least the first time, willingly. The drew whispers and stares when they entered, especially from the severe librarian, Madam Pince who though still quite young was utterly humorless. James cast a _muffliato_ charm so she wouldn't yell at them. Another useful spell he'd nicked from Snape. _Why did she yell for them to be quiet anyway?_ It made no sense. By the time they'd finished, Lily had a letter she was comfortable sending her parents.

Dear Mum and Dad,

Sorry I haven't written sooner. I have been busier than ever and time just got away with me. First of all, let me introduce you to my friend James's owl. His name is Mighty and he is a proper post owl. You can tell Petunia for me that he is extremely well behaved and has been instructed to give her a wide berth. If you want to reply now, just take out paper and pen and he will wait. If not then he will return to Hogwarts. He might be thirsty so offering him some water would be polite and a few bits of bacon wouldn't be a bad idea.

James says hello. School has been very exciting. My apprenticeship with Professor Slughorn is outstanding! We are working on the published works of some Lettered Potioneers mostly on medicinal potions. I am really enjoying it. By the way, that's what James's father does, he is one of the Wizarding Worlds for most famous and accomplished Potioneers. He has his own private laboratory so someday I hope for a tour; maybe even a bit of brewing.

Quidditch season was delayed this year due to suspension of one of the House team's players. They needed replacing; but the first match is this coming weekend. Very exciting. I think Gryffindor House stands the best chance at the Quidditch Cup; they are amazing! Mars, Dor, Mary, Alice and Remus are all doing well. Mary was hospitalized earlier this year but she is on the mend. They all send love.

I never see Sev anymore. Our falling out is permanent and I am much better for it; you were right, he is dodgy. I have made three new friends this year; James Potter (who's loaning me his owl), Sirius Black (who is very close to Mars and James) and Peter Pettigrew (who is Mary's beau). All of these new friends are excellent students, well maybe not Pete but he is Mary's beau and I am very fond of them.

Enough about me! Ask Petunia for me how dating Vernon is going. I know that she won't want me to write to her and ask but I'd like to know all the same. I look forward to seeing you all at Christmas time; already did a spot of shopping for you in Hogsmeade. They have very unique stores there so I think you will like your presents. Mum, I hope that your job is still very satisfying. Dad, no accidents in your shop! I am sure that all the neighborhood kids appreciate your free bicycle repairs though so keep up the good work. Come to think of it, I know a few Wizards who would enjoy bicycles; funny though as I never have seen one on this side of the world, if you take my meaning.

Anyway, I am quite well and miss you lots. Take care and I will see you very soon! All my love, Lily

"Thanks James! That was loads easier with your help; I just needed a little nudging!"

"It was fun Lily. I never realized that you would have to censor your letters to your own family. Strange; the things wizards don't know. You know, my dad would love to show you his laboratory! He'd love to brew with you! Maybe during Christmas, you could come over sometime and you know, spend the day?"

"Wow James, really? I'd like that! I could meet your parents and all your elves and your kneazles; I'd love a kneazle! Too bad that they are not allowed at Hogwarts. And Sirius lives there too right so I could watch him duel with your dad! You're sure that they wouldn't mind?"

"Of course, not Lily. I'm an only child remember. I seem to always have a house full of friends! Haven't you ever been to Mars place?" Lily shook her head. "Well, you will have to go to hers now that we are all a group of good friends. You can see my house from hers; we have joint property lines. Mars is always at our house anyway. Actually, we have a New Year's party every year; I'd like it if you came. We'll have Remus and Pete and so probably Dor and Mary; Mars is always there and come to think of it, so is Frank so Alice will come. My parents have known the Longbottom's for decades. Alice's family have been our friends forever too. Well, you know all the old families are related. I'm actually related to Sirius and Alice distantly."

"Really? How so?"

"Well, my aunt or great aunt, I can never remember which and I never met her; she died before I was born, so probably my great aunt… anyway, she was a Black so that's me and Sirius and Alice's relative Lucretia was also a Black before she married into the Prewett's. Typical, Pure-Bloods keeping it all in the family. Anyway, when Mars and Sirius were betrothed then their marriage would have made me part of her family too. It is all very convoluted really and while we have family records we don't boast a family tree like Sirius's family. His mother practically worships at the family tree!"

"I take it from what I've heard from Sirius and, well, everyone, that she's a bit of a nutter. So, when did Sirius move in with your family? Mars mentioned a big row and that your parents had to tend to his injuries? I don't mean to pry. Sirius has told me a little bit but, no... never mind, I shouldn't have asked. I should ask Sirius."

"You can ask him if you want but Sirius wouldn't mind me telling you. He trusts me. He trusts you too now or he would have never said anything to you about any of it in the first place. I'll tell you but it's a bit of a long story so you sure you want to know?"

"Yes, I am! Please, carry on. He's your best mate and surprisingly, I like him so yeah, I want to know."

"He is my best mate, Lily! Sirius has been my friend since the moment that we met on the Hogwarts Express; on the same day that I met you, actually. We just clicked. I had known of him and his family, everyone knows about the Black's but our parents don't get along so we never got to know each other properly until we came to school. Back before Voldemort and after Grindelwald, when the families all got on a bit better, we would have known each other since birth and played together all the time. Anyway, he is the first-born son to an ancient pure blood family who values the purity of their blood over almost everything. Betrothal is very common in magic families and before Sirius was sorted into Gryffindor and then made his feelings known about blood equality, his parents were happy to arrange, their marriage. His sorting changed all that at least as far as the Blacks are concerned."

"Anyway, Sirius was adored and spoiled by his parents until Reg was born. When Reg came along they had to be a bit more democratic about doling out their affection to both sons. I say affection because I don't think the Sirius's parents feel actual love. Pride for sure but not love. Orion, his dad, is not the fanatic that his mum is but he does just leave her to it, ya know, he turns a blind eye so guilty of neglect if you ask me and indifference. When Voldemort started his _marrying Muggles dilutes the magical line_ bollocks, he was just a repeat of other wizards who had the idea before him. The last war with Grindelwald was about the same old story." Lily listened attentively to James. Her was answering a lot of questions.

"My parents, like the Prewett's and the Longbottom's and the Weasley's, they're Alice's cousins, are blood traitors meaning , we don't believe that magic comes from only pure blood unions. We have a long and noble history of marrying Muggles and Half-bloods and Muggle borns and probably even squibs! No one knows where magic comes from Lily. It's a gift! Look at your magic! You've got more magic than loads of pure bloods who currently go to school with us. Sirius has always been strong willed, has always had his own mind, ya know? When he was young, he was just your typical rich, spoiled wizard with a rebellious side. But once we started school and he was sorted into Gryffindor, he learned the rest of the story, the one his parents never told him. He learned what Slytherins are really like now, he got to know my family and our friends so he broke with his parent's notions of blood status and admittedly acted out just to piss them off. But with Sirius it wasn't just a rebellious phase. Sirius thinks his parents are mad from so much in-breeding and believes that variety is more important. His only close family members are his uncle Alphard and his cousin Andromeda, she's Bellatrix Blacks sister. I told you it was convoluted! He believes in love and free will and he could have a family of squibs and not give a damn."

Lily wondered how this Sirius could be reconciled with her perception of Sirius in the past. Here again, Lily had been wrong. Sirius was not a player or wildly arrogant. He did not love attention, he just sort of attracted it, like she did. People always looked at Sirius and they always looked at her. Neither of them enjoyed it but Sirius handled the attention he attracted differently to how she'd handled it which in hindsight she'd handled poorly. He loved his friends and seemingly he loved Mars. He enjoyed detention with McGonagall because he respected her and often got detentions with her on purpose just to have a catch up or get a bit of help. He was not drunk all the time thought it seemed that all her friends drank more often than she'd done but they also had enjoyed their years at Hogwarts much more than Lily had. He loved bending the rules but it seemed that all wizards were drawn to risk and danger, including James. He loved James and James's parents and he needed spoiling by the Potter house elves. He'd been abused and used and betrayed by the people who were meant to love him. She realized in that moment that perhaps she was more like Petunia than she cared to be, judging people before she actually knew them and perhaps Sirius had more in common with Snape that he'd care to admit. After all, abuse took many forms but as Mars said first week, "Hate, is hate." She continued to give James her undivided attention because he always had her undivided attention whether she'd admitted it or denied it and right now she was learning loads.

"When he finally came to school, he was free from his parents for the first time in his life. I think the Sorting Hat recognized a deep need in Sirius to be free of his family and the Slytherins so it sorted him into Gryffindor. It took a lot of courage for him to have that in his head during The Sorting. He's the first Black ever to not be in Slytherin! So, he was sorted into Gryffindor and that was the last straw for his parents and for him. They tried to keep him from visiting us, specifically because we are blood traitors but Sirius would have none of it. They had bars on his windows! He was really the first Marauder because of all the ways he learned to escape Grimmauld Place. His house elf, Kreacher was responsible for keeping Sirius and Reg in line. Sometimes, they would out smart Kreacher and he would have to punish himself; it's a bizarre house elf behavior that my parents forbid our elves. Eventually his mum started actually warding Sirius in, ya know...she held him captive with magic once he'd figured out how to escape his barred windows. Then she began using violence. She'd always used emotional blackmail to bring him around to their way of thinking but she never succeeded. Just goes to show you how little they really knew him; Sirius cannot be forced out of thinking his own way! If anything, they hastened his departure."

"His mother actually beat him Lily! She used Dark Magic on him as well! Once he'd had enough he escaped. I say escaped because he had to figure out how to break the wards that bound him to the place, seriously Dark Magic that Sirius outsmarted. He's a genius, Lily. A bona fide genius to have outwitted his evil mum and all her Dark wards. He's a gifted wizard, Sirius is! He likes to down-play how brilliant his actually is, especially here at school. But, there's no magic Sirius couldn't do. He's the smartest person I have ever known! Anyway, he arrived at our house in the middle of the night, broken and bleeding and half dead. Mars was staying over that night so she was there and saw the whole thing."

"My parents, Madam Pomfrey, Professor Slughorn and Professor Sprout and of course our elves all helped save his life. All the teachers know about it and it really hit McGonagall hard. She has a soft spot for our Sirius. The teachers may appear to indulge him but really, I think they are all trying to make up for his terrible home life and his wicked parents. McGonagall is really more a surrogate mum to him, just like my mum is. Witches of all ages can't resist Sirius! Anyway, our house elves took really good care of him and treated him nothing like Kreacher did, who was quite as cruel to him as his mum was. He was bed ridden for nearly a week. He'd only just been released from their official care the day we all met at Platform nine and three quarters. Sirius feels terrible that he left Reg behind but Reg wouldn't come with him. Sirius made a choice of life over death. Anyway, he was disinherited by his mother, his name was burned off the family tree and he is part of my family now. He's been living at our house since the end of last summer; just before the start of sixth year."

"That's unbelievable! Horrible, really! It's a wonder he isn't a nutter himself."

"No kidding! He is a bit, nuts, but mostly in good ways. He's is amazing Lily because he isn't broken! He still believes in love, he wants his own family, to raise the way he believes kids should be raised. He could be broken and damaged and self-destructive and abusive, but he isn't. He even could have lost his magic if they had broken him or worse, it could burst out of him in an uncontrolled and dangerous way! Such things are known to have happened to witches and wizards whos magic is represses or suppressed. He is a bit reckless and sometimes he acts without thinking. He has dark moments when he is filled with dread, mostly when something triggers his memories of Grimmauld Place. But he fights through these times and drags himself back to the present. He's a powerfully magic wizard, he is honest and loyal and kind and he's my brother. I believe that he alone, of all my friends, would truly, do anything for me. And, I would do the same for him. It's very powerful, our bond. We have loved him for so long that having him at home just seems natural."

"That's remarkable! I thought Petunia was bad. She's sweet by comparison to Sirius's mum! Actually, she's a lot like Sirius's mum; she hates. She hates me and she hates my magic; any magic really, just like Walburga hates non-purebloods and Muggles. Petunia, thinks I'm a freak! But that conversation is a long one too so..."

"Tell me. Seriously I want to hear. I know some from Mars and Dor and Alice and Mary but I'd like to hear it from you."

"Really? It'll be boring after learning about The First Marauder!"

"Naw, it won't. Go on then."

"You're sure?"

"Yes Lily, I'm sure."

"It will include Snape, James. He was the first wizard I ever met. I know you hate him. But, it is also about you, really though at the time I didn't realize how influential you were, Do you still wanna hear?" Lily said apologetically.

"Of course, Lily. It's not as if I didn't know you and Snape have a past. I promise not to act like a prig. So, go on, tell me."

"Alright. If you're sure. It makes me a bit nervous to blab about myself." James waited patiently for Lily to get on with it.

"Fine. So, I guess my falling out with Petunia started when we were young really, when my magic first started to show, before that, we were inseparable and I idolized her. Remember in fourth year, when Flitwick described the randomness of early magic? Well, that was me. I did weird things, made dust motes form recognizable shapes in the sunlight, caused tap water to flow up, made water drain in the reverse direction. Weird stuff. Ruined several electronic devices in the house; an alarm clock, the door-bell. Petunia tried to keep these occurrences from our parents. It scared her, my magic and she thought I'd get into trouble. When I was nine, I started bailing out of the park swing-set at the top of the swing's arc but I kept on rising! Made a perfect full parabola before I landed! I could make flower petals open and close. These were my first acts of purposeful magic. It scared Petunia! She thought my magic was sinister, like I was not normal.

About this time, I met Severus. Now that I think about this memory, he was dodgy from the off but I was also a stupid and lonely kid. He'd been lurking behind some bushes, spying on us and he just burst out one day and told me I was a witch! Well, Petunia and I thought he was just being rude and he looked like a vagrant; he dressed in old hand me down clothes that were ill-fitting and his hair was greasy and over-long. He scared Petunia and she was my older sister so I looked to her for guidance on who to trust, what was acceptable, how to behave and such. We left and Petunia begged me to stop doing it. She called my magic "it" because it defied normal human abilities and I didn't know I was a witch."

"But of course, I didn't and I didn't want to. Petunia had taken a liking to calling me a freak and having a friend like Sev only cemented her belief that I was not normal 'cause let's face it, he doesn't make a good first impression. The meaner she was to me, the more I came to rely on being friends with Sev. Apart from him, I was alone. We would meet in the park and show each other our magic, he told me all about Hogwarts and the Train and about Dumbledore. It was like this dream world where I would be free of my hateful sister and live in a place where other people were like me. He also told me about Azkaban and I was so scared I'd be sent there for my magic! We were the only two magic people in our neighborhood so as kids, we were alone in the world except for each other. He explained how a witch or wizard would come to my house when I turned eleven to explain my magic and about Hogwarts to my parents. He told me about how I would get a letter telling me that my place at Hogwarts was reserved just for me. Everything he told me turned out to be true so I trusted him."

Lily noticed James lean in while she spoke. He really did actually listen to people and he was interested in her story. He gave no sign of jealousy or disgust and Lily thought maybe they'd both grown up this year. She took a deep breath and continued to tell James her story.

"I learned that his mum was a witch and his dad was a Muggle. So, the conversation of blood status came up. He told me it didn't matter and I believed him. I asked him straight out and he reassured me that I shouldn't worry at all about being Muggle-born. His father was a drunk, he didn't like magic and he didn't like Sev. Now that you've explained Sirius, imagine what he'd be like if he'd gone bad; let his hurt and anger and frustration with having a weak witch mum and a cruel Muggle dad. That's Sev, James. He turned out exactly the opposite of Sirius. Imagine, not liking your own kid? His dad responded poorly to having a witch wife, I guess. We became friends really because we were both alone and literally didn't have anyone else. Anyway, we found out that Petunia actually wrote to Dumbledore begging to come to Hogwarts! Can you imagine? Sev had no idea how she even contacted Dumbledore but he wrote her back and kindly explained that Hogwarts was only for magic people. That's when she decided that she and I were no longer family and she actually told me she hated me."

"Petunia and I had a terrible row the first day I first came to Platform nine and three quarters and she told me again that she hated me and that I was a freak going to a freak school with a creepy freak friend. That's when I met you. Not the best timing. You were not nice to Sev. Now that I think about it he was rude to you first but at the time, he was all I had and I viewed the world differently. He was my only friend, you see, so I had to be on his side; I had no one else and here I was, this ginger, Muggle-born witch in a totally alien world. I clung to him. But, as soon as we got sorted into different houses, our relationship changed. He made excuses and I guess sometimes I did too. I wanted to have other friends. The, Minions were my friends but they told me things that I just didn't want to hear. They thought I was mental to think he was my friend. As time went on, we saw each other less, Sev and I, each making sure we saw each other alone and I think I knew, even though he said it didn't matter, well, I knew that it did matter. His House and mine hated each other so I was very confused. I was fortunate enough to dorm with the Minions though or I would have had no friends at all."

"They never understood how Sev and I could be friends and told me this all the time. Slytherin and Gryffindor students couldn't be friends! It turned out to be true. Every time I would see you in the same place as Sev, he was coming off worse in some duel. I didn't see him start anything but I always saw you finishing it. I didn't see what he was becoming because I didn't want to. It was easier to think you a bullying, arrogant, toe-rag and to be fair, sometimes you were. But you next to Sev, well … you had the look of a child who was adored and always had been and Sev, well … he was never adored and came from Muggle poverty which believe me is poor. I think that you were also very intimidating to me but not on purpose. You had so many friends and everyone liked and admired and defended you. No one had ever defended me. Not even Sev as he was too busy defending himself."

"The only class we could spend time together was Potions and so that became the sum total of our friendship when we were at school. At home, during the summer, we spent a lot of time together but I didn't like his dad, never really met his mum and my parents didn't like or trust him at all. So, we were like secret friends for a couple of summers. Then the Mudblood Row happened and I realized he might have been my friend when we were nine but he wasn't my friend anymore. Not real friends like Sirius is yours. Truthfully, I never really was a very good friend to him either. I guess the novelty wore off. He was just security and I used him. I also thought you were a bully and a mean tease when you would ask me out all the time in front of everyone! I thought you were making fun of me, you made me very mad and you embarrassed me and hurt my feelings."

James looked devastated. "So, Sirius was right all along?"

"Right about what?"

"He said that I was the one who hurt your feelings during the Mudblood Row."

"Oh. Well, I don't know how he knew that, we never discussed that before but … yeah, he was right."

"God Lily! I am so sorry!" James pleaded.

"It's fine James. Really. I got over it over last summer. I didn't encourage friendliness from you in those days. I know now you didn't mean to hurt my feelings; you wouldn't deliberately hurt anyone's feelings. Well, maybe Sev's!" Lily laughed and James relaxed. "You owe Remus, you know. He's your great defender. Did you know that? One of the only reasons I was willing to meet you all at the platform this year was because of Remus. Remus never made me feel awkward but he never understood how I could be friends with Sev and not even like you! It hurt him actually. He loves you too, you know? He explained you to me. He also tried to show me myself and Snape from your view point. He explained why you acted the way you did and asked me to trust him. He said that you were not just what I had seen but that there was a lot more to you and I had only seen your bad side because I was always with Sev. Told me that if I was going to dislike his best mates without really knowing them then I was exactly like Petunia! I have always trusted Remus and he was always my friend so I took a chance. And... here we are. Wow...too much huh? Sorry, it just all sorta came out. I'm sorry for that. God, I can blab on and on..."

"No Lily, this was good. You are right, I have always hated Snape. I did hex him all the time and I was a show off. You were right about me. From the first moment, I laid eyes on him, with you, I hated him. I really am very judgmental; I tend to make snap decisions about a person based on my first physical response to being in their presence. He actually made my skin crawl and I decided that Snape was a horrible person the first time I saw him. It was something about his eyes...and now I know what it was; he is an Occlumens and I don't trust anyone who won't let their feelings show. But in all seriousness, when you treat someone like a terrible person then they are terrible back. Maybe he is a terrible person anyway, I dunno but it is hard for me to change my mind about people after I draw that first conclusion. It was all kinda ridiculous, looking back on it all. I am sorry I was an idiot around you and embarrassed you and was cruel to your first magic friend. I feel dreadful that I hurt you! What a horrible person I've been! Boys are idiots! I was an idiot!"

"But James, even if you were all those things, you were still right about him. Besides, he fancied me and I didn't return those feelings. That's why he called me a Mudblood in front of everyone, to hurt me. But all it did was make me angry not hurt. I'd been wrong about him which meant I'd probably been wrong about other things, other people. You aren't the only one who is sorry. I'm sorry too."

"Well, he was a fool Lily! He had years with you! He threw all that away because of pride! I was right, he is an idiot!" Spoken like that, Lily couldn't help but laugh. Once she started, James just couldn't resist.

"Wow, I could use some of that Fire Whisky right about now!" Lily said seriously.

"How about, we put on warm clothes and take this letter to Mighty and then I'll take you for a fly, instead, together on my broom?" It was a better idea than Fire Whiskey and he was hard to resist.


	13. Chapter Thirteen: 19 December, 1976

**Chapter XIII 19 December,1976**

The morning of the first match of the Quidditch season finally arrived and much to everyone's delight it snowed the night before! Invigorated by the weather, the witches piled out of their beds to look out over the grounds; it was blinding. The snow was so deep they had to stand in the window seats to see over the top of it. The sky was a bright blue which meant it would be a very cold match but there was little evidence of wind. The campus reflected millions of rainbows, appearing to be lit from the inside. But it was a magic campus so maybe it really was lit from the inside.

Breakfast was a noisy affair complete with cheers, boos and hazing; the type of adolescent behavior that needs releasing once in a while. Not wanting to choose sides, the Marauders, the Minions and Frank trooped out of the castle wearing Gryffindor colors. All they really hoped for was a good match. It was great to be outside! Their breath froze right before their eyes and they were thrilled! Well bundled, no one minded red noses and watery eyes and frozen toes. This was Quidditch and they couldn't wait!

The first years, squealing with excitement asked to sit with their favorite sixth years. Mars made a little miracle happen way back on that first night in September. They adored the Marauders, their Minions and Frank. Being tiny, it was very difficult to see and squealed still louder when they were invited to sit on the shoulders of James, Sirius, Remus and Frank. Pete didn't offer but he did plead for a shoulder too which the first years thought was funny. Mars, being the tallest witch and taller than Pete, offered but Pete just stood on the bleachers instead with Mary at his side.

The match lasted for nearly three hours and was brutal. There was so much pent up frustration in the school that it bordered on hostility. The Hufflepuffs and the Ravenclaws, good friends off the pitch, were wildly competitive on and took the match as a golden opportunity to vent! The game took so long mostly because of all the fouls committed and penalty shots both team earned. In the end, the Hufflepuff seeker, snatched the snitch, 270-260 and Hufflepuff took the lead in the inner house championship.

It was hard to believe that Christmas was just around the corner. Exams were on everyone's minds now; their Professors started spending part of every period in review. In Potions, they had graduated to making the four potions that they set out to deconstruct months ago. In Transfiguration, they were working on non-verbal, partial human transformation as a means of disguise. Always the joker, Sirius encouraged Mars to transfigure parts of themselves onto each other. Lily, Dor and Alice, not so keen on swapping parts with blokes, swapped parts with each other. In Herbology they were studying the known medicinal applications of all the Class III plants and were even allowed to use some of them to threat minor cuts, abrasions and injuries that inevitably occurred in Herbology. In Charms, they had succeeded in performing nearly all the non-verbal charms they'd had been assigned and could look forward to wandless charms in the coming term. Defense was still a challenge to all of them because Diggle made them all work above their own level. What that meant was students were all moving at their own pace. Alice, who could duel with the best of them was working on wandless defense against all of them, she was invited to attend N.E.W.T.'s seventh year Defense classes to teach them a thing or two and even dueled just for fun with some of the Aurors. Dor was a close second to Alice and these two witches gave James, Sirius and Remus a run for their money. Mars had improved the most and had put many of her opponents, still doing the most advanced magic they could, on their butts, including Sirius and James.

Remus had been through two full moons with Dor waiting for him in hospital the minute that Madam Pomfrey brought him back from the Shrieking Shack. It was a beautiful thing to see: Remus being nursed back to health by his witch. Dor kept his secret. Slytherin was clobbered by Hufflepuff in a match that lasted less than an hour; they went down 210-60. The whole school celebrated! At long last the Holiday season began officially when Hagrid brought in the twelve Christmas trees to transform the Great Hall into its Seasonal Splendor.

Exams came and went. They were not O.W.L.'s or N.E.W.T.'s for the Marauders or the Minions but there were N.E.W.T. practice exams for Frank. He studied tirelessly and felt his efforts would be rewarded. Finally, the last day at Hogwarts was a Friday and exams ended at eleven in the morning. They were free! For two whole weeks, they could just be adolescents and Hogwarts felt like a party.

"So, Prongs, what about a secret getaway to Hogsmeade tonight with the witches, huh?"

"No good Pads. Lily just came from the last prefect meeting of term and we actually have permission to go!"

"You're having me on!"

"Nope. There's to be a party here for first and second year but everyone with permission is allowed to go to the village. There are a couple of conditions though: we have to ride in the carriages there and back and there is an eleven o'clock curfew. They'll be counting heads so we'll have to come back. Truthfully, I'm fine with it. I'm feeling like not tempting fate tonight. It's been relatively quiet since Halloween and I'd like to keep it that way, especially right before Christmas."

"Well, if I didn't agree, I'd think you'd lost your nerve! I feel so responsible now arghh! It's maddening but with Mars and all...it does feel like we'd be putting the witches at risk. It was simpler before, ya know, before the witches I mean. Don't get me wrong, if we didn't have permission then I'd say we gotta go but since we have permission it...could be fun, behaving for a change. Besides, I am an adult now so maybe it's about time I started acting like one!"

"That 'll be the day Sirius, when you act your age! I feel like something bad is brewing just under the surface Sirius and it scares me; like the calm before the storm. Remember the first Hogsmeade weekend, when we were just crossing the wards on our way back, my skin crawled and when I looked over my shoulder, the Slytherins who eluded us all day were there, in the dark, hoods up. My arm went around Lily instinctively and my wand hand twitched. I feel like if we can have just a little more time in safety, we'd be fools not to take it and be glad of it. In a little more than a year you and I will be in Auror training and after that we will be out there with Frank and Alice, Moody and Kingsley battling Death Eaters! Maybe even Voldemort himself. I'm good with it but it does make me want to enjoy being safe as long as I can. Does that make any sense?"

"Good of you to say it before me! This will ruin our reputations Prongs, being responsible! How does being The Marauders fit with being home by midnight? Reputations are cheap though so we can build new ones, eh? Or write a self-help book: _How to Become a Responsible Adult in Just Four Months!_ … Caution. We're new to caution. It's like being in first year all over again. Just between you and me though, it does make sense and that it does … bothers me. What is it? There is something going on and sometimes I feel like it's right under our noses! I feel a sense of dread, like these will be the last free and happy days we'll ever have! It's depressing! This isn't what it feels like to grow up is it because if it is, well, it's overrated! I don't know why we wanted to get here so badly."

"It's war Sirius. The Prophet had another story this morning about a possible break out from Azkaban and it literally made me sick! Was there a break out or not? What does, possible, even mean? Fancy meeting Dolohov or Lestrange in Hogsmeade tonight? Or worse, your cousin! Sometimes I wish I knew how to use unforgivable curses and I could blast them all into the next life. Then I feel so guilty because that wish alone, makes me as bad as them."

"Naw James! You could never be as bad as them. Thinking bad things is not the same as doing bad things. You should never confuse sadistic cruelty with the desire to vanquish your enemy James; they are not the same." Sirius's eyes switched from lyrical to angry in a blink and then in another they switched again to determined steal grey. The moment passed and he was back. "So then tonight will be what... date night? A nice, romantic evening with our witches without the fear of a Death Eater attack? I hope so because when we come back from holiday you have to face becoming legal too; no more adolescent shenanigans... and we have to earn our Apparation license. Have you actually asked Lily to go with you and not with us?"

"I'm working up the courage now. I've probably asked her out more times than any wizard alive, what was it forty-seven times or something like that, and now with the prospect of asking her properly...I'm terrified! She could say no and actually mean it; different to before when all she really wanted was me just to shut up for once."

"Stalling for time?"

"Maybe. Have you asked Mars? I know that Remus is asking Dor which is refreshing as it's usually Dor who initiates with those two. He loves that she's bossy! It's a given now that Pete will ask Mary."

"I only just got this info James so no I haven't asked Mars yet. But I certainly will, the second we walk through that door! Sweet on each other for...well, forever and only going on our first date now. It's mad!"

"Well, I'm off. Can't sit on this wall forever."

"James? … No worries, mate. She's gonna say yes. You'll finally get to date the girl of your dreams. She'll go out with you now your head's deflated!"

Lily agreed to meet James for lunch after the prefects last meeting before Christmas Holiday. He took a look in the mirror, cursed his hair and just looked at himself for a minute. "Come on James, you can do this!" The mirror responded, 'That's the spirit dear'. "Cheeky," James said back and turned to make his way to the Great Hall.

"James!" Lily greeted him from across the Hall. She was visiting with Professor Flitwick and helping with decorations: charming baubles to float up to the higher branches of Hagrid's Christmas trees.

The sight of her actually took his breath and he waved but stopped where he stood and just looked at Lily. His beloved Lily. She was the most stunning human being he had ever seen. He fell in love when he was eleven years old. His knees were weak and his head felt like it was losing blood. He could feel his heart beating so hard inside his chest that he was sure he'd have bruises there tomorrow and wondered where all that blood was going if not to his head. The light streaming in the windows was that bright, reflective, white light you only see when there's snow outside and the sky, through The Enchanted Ceiling, was enameled blue. Her hair was a blaze with copper and gold and it surround her face not unlike a halo. She had no idea she was beautiful and that's what made her all the more so. Her eyes were a color that he had yet to actually find words for because James believed God made this color only once. Her smile filled her whole face as she stopped too, to look at him. In that moment, James knew that Lily would say yes because for the first time she was interested in him. She actually looked willing! He stopped being scared and walked up to greet her and their Charms Professor. It was Christmastime!

"It looks wonderful Professor!"

"Thank you, Mr. Potter. I've had help."

"I can see that. Sir, may I steal your help for a moment?"

"Of course. Thank you, Miss Evans. We do lovely work together."

"It was such fun Professor. Thanks for needing help."

"Hi James. What's up? You look like something's on your mind. Spill!"

"Walk with me?"

"Sure. Where are we walking?"

"Would it matter?"

"Well...no it wouldn't matter. Why do you always question me like that!"

"Like what, Lily?"  
"Like I still don't trust you."

"I have my personal failings too Lily, same as everyone else. It's new, having your trust. Just checking."

"Oh. Well you have it. What's up?"

"Lily will you come with me, just me, to Hogsmeade tonight?"

"Are you asking me out James? On a date?"

"Yes, Lily, I am. For the forty-eighth time, I, James Potter am asking you, Lily Evans to go on a proper date with me. Will you be my date to Hogsmeade tonight?"

"Finally! I thought you'd never ask. Of course, I will be your date tonight! Has it really been forty–eight times? Where has the time gone?"

"I was scared you'd say no so, forty-eight is now my lucky number! Thanks, for saying yes. Back there, when I came in, I thought that I was having a heart attack!" Lily started to laugh and kept it up for a while.

"James, you are ridiculous! You and I on our first date. So, what's the plan?"

"Well, since we have to ride in the carriages we should meet in the common room at four. It will be dark by then and they will be running until everyone is delivered and returned. Hogsmeade will be in full swing tonight, decorations, carolers, all the shops will be open late so it will be like a Christmas Card that we're in. Frank told me on the way down that they will have sleigh rides from Hogsmeade across the lake and back so that should be fun. There will be live music at The Station starting at nine so we could do some dancing. We'll just do everything there is to do! Dress warmly and just bring yourself, and your wand. Never go anywhere Lily without your wand!"

"Yes Sir Captain! It's a date then. How fun! My first date!"

"Really?"

"Yea. I never wanted to go out with anyone before, so yea, it's my first."

"I ask you out more than any wizard in history and neither one of us has ever even been on one, a proper date, that is. I hope I do it right!"

"Have a little faith James. It will be the best date ever!"

"The first date ever!"

"Same thing."

Lily was a nervous wreck. She finally had a date with James! Where was everyone? She needed to shout it to someone. Mars and Dor walked into their dorm at just that moment.

"Wow, Lily, you look like you swallowed a box Filibusters!"

"Thanks, Dor! I think I have! You'll never guess what just happened?"

"Who are you and what have you done with our Lily? Our demure, sweet, even-tempered Lily. Look at her she's all wiggly and girly! Ah Lil...You're as cute as a button!"

"Just ask me what happened!"

"What just happened Lily?" they chorused.

"James asked me out! On a date! A proper date! Our first date!"

"Finally!" They chortled in unison.

"I Thought he'd lose his nerve after number forty-seven!" Mars added and both witches just smiled and giggled and the great get ready for our first date crush was on.

James was pacing his dorm, his hair, was an unmitigated disaster but his smile was so wide it hurt his face. Remus, Sirius and Pete all trooped in followed by Frank two seconds later.

"I did it! I finally actually did it! Properly! And she said YES!"

"Cheers James!" Sirius was looking at him like he'd gone 'round the twist. "Relax mate before you give yourself a heart attack and miss out on your date."

"Right. Sorry. Still, it's big for me."

"James, it's big for all of us! I thought I'd have to throttle you before you made it to sixth year if you shouted at Lily, 'Hey Evans, go out with me!' even one more time! It's all in the sincerity of the request. Scary what you can get with a bit of sincerity, eh?" Remus was smirking but James knew he deserved that.

Showers took a little longer, they dressed with just a little more care and took just a bit more time to look their best. Blokes couldn't do much about their appearance so they just had to make the best of what they had. They had a lot to work with even if Sirius was the only one of them who knew it. Just before four, all five wizards walked, didn't run, they walked down the spiral staircase and waited for their witches to arrive. They all had dates tonight!

Even the most laid back of witches got excited on their first date. The Minions were never very girly girls, didn't fuss much with make-up and they weren't about to start with that nonsense now; their hair was styled for utility, they didn't bother much with clothes. Even tonight, they didn't get all fussy and pretend to look like or be someone they weren't. They would look like themselves but just a bit better. They were pretty lovely to begin with but, they didn't think like that. They just thought that all that cream and spray and color and goo made them look artificial, like someone else.

They did take time to do fun things with their hair; braids and clips and ribbons. They chose some favorite earrings, wore their softest and loveliest sweaters, no jumpers tonight. They had hats and scarves and gloves and thick socks or leggings and boots and they were all colored to match each one of their unique appearances. As a group, they were gorgeous! Mars went with soft ivory's and baby blue's, Alice chose primary colors of Christmas red, and green. Mary was the most stylish and she went for the classic look of black and white. Dor chose soft yellows with dark grey and Lily chose dark forest green with deep plum. A spot of lip color, a bit of eye liner or a light coat of mascara, they were all ribboned and glossed and wrapped up to look like varied sweets in a gift box. They walked, not skipped, but walked down the spiral stone staircase to meet their wizards. They all had dates!

"Wow, look at all of you! We definitely have the best-looking witches at Hogwarts!" Remus ever the gentleman addressed them all as they entered the common room. "Wow, Dor! You look like you need a date!"

"Thanks. I have one!" and she kissed his jaw.

Sirius sidled up to Mars and whispered in her ear, Pete took Mary by the arm, Frank scooped Alice up and kissed her right there and James just stared at Lily; he was lost for words.

"Everybody got their wands?" Frank did his Head Boy duty by asking. They all checked for their wands and trooped out the portrait hole

"Behave now, won't you?" were the Fat Lady's parting words and they all responded with their own affirmative.

They had never taken the carriages to the village except to catch the train. It felt sort of fancy, perhaps like a date should feel. Before they even got to the village they could see all the Christmas lights and hear the carolers. It was snowing, the carriage was actually chilly inside so there was lots of snuggling. Once there, the pairs all took different paths so each pair was alone at last.

"Are you warm, enough?" James asked Lily.

"I am. I'm excited though! You?"

"No." James was shuffling from foot to foot and stamping the cold out. "I'm freezing. Come here."

Lily looked at James's face. She exhaled, unaware that she had been holding her breath. He was looking down at her, his arms out and she couldn't believe it. He asked her out; properly. She moved into his arms, he smelled so good. She tucked her head in and drank in the scent of him. She wrapped her arms around him, fingers finding the lines of his torso through his layers of cotton and wool. He followed her lead and wrapped her in his arms. He bent his head down and buried his face in her hair and inhaled. This was so unexpected, to get to hold her like this. She was willing, she was holding him too. He smiled and thinking of how many times he had imagined this and a throaty groan escaped his lips. It was immediately followed by followed by a giggle.

"What are you laughing at James?" She had pulled back to scrutinize his sudden laughter.

"Ah, Lily. I'm laughing at me. Myself. I have imagined this moment a thousand times but I was always afraid it would never happen. Yet, I have always believed that it would happen! You've made me a crazy person Lily Evans!" James was snuggling her and tickling her and giggling and Lily realized that he was brave indeed; willingly expressing his utter joy to just be with her. It took guts. "We blokes, we are so stupid. At least I was. I can hear in my head, all the times I'd yell stupidly at you from across a corridor or the grounds, "Evans! Hey Evans! Go out with me! Go on!" I must have been irresistible!"

"You were."

"You've got to be joking!" I would have hexed me if I were you!"

"And yet, as stupid a bloke as you were, here I am. Let's go get a hot spiced cider! Hey, if we went to the Hog's Head, would Aberforth put some Fire Whiskey in it?"

"Probably. He's heard me whine about you so many times, it'll probably be on the house!"

"Excellent!" Lily said it just like Sirius would have and she broke from their hug and grabbing his hand, started skipping towards The Hog's Head with James in tow. "Come on then. It's cold out here."

They toured Hogsmeade hand in hand for the first time. It was snowing, huge wet flakes that melted on their cheeks. They could see their breath as it mingled together in the cold night air. The pub was darker than the other shops in the village but positively glowing compared to last time and it was not even night then. Candles and lamps lit every table, holly and mistletoe were decoratively hung. The bar was trimmed with red velvet bows and the glasses and the bar were all spotless. There were a few couples seated in corners, faces close together this time in a non-conspiratorial way.

"James Potter and Miss Lily. It's about time. Whatever you'd like is on the house."

"Thanks Abe. Happy Christmas. Lily, do you want to peruse the list of drinks? Abe does sell others."

"Thank you, no. Fire Whiskey is our drink James. Two please Abe." Abe poured them a generous measure and placed them on the bar. Lily took hers, waited for James to do the same and then she raised her glass to him.

"To lucky forty-eight!" Lily shouted.

"To lucky forty-eight!" James echoed.

"So, after we've warmed up, where to?"

"Are you hungry?"

"Are you?"

"Yea, Probably. I haven't noticed really but I'm sure I'm actually starving."

"So, after here, let's go find some food, maybe visit the shops, I'd love a sleigh ride and some dancing. After all, you did all this for me right, this village celebration … everyone here is celebrating our first date, right?"

"I can tell you that I certainly am!" Abe blurted out. "I don't have to listen to this nutter whine all night about Lily this and Lily that!" Abe said smiling and he winked at James.

"Thanks for that, Abe. Yes Lily, all this is for you! You know Lily, you still make me nervous." James whispered. "The whiskey was a good idea."

"Well, I'm glad. I'd hate to be predictable. You make me nervous too James, but it's OK, this nervous, not like bad nervous. It's a good nervous. Ah...there it is."

"What?"

"Liquid courage. Two more please Abe; it's cold outside!"

They finished their whiskeys, whispering to each other about unimportant things. It worked as an excuse to speak close, whispering. They were keeping in with the fashion in the Hog's Head. It was nice to talk about things that were non-earth shattering. They made their way through Hogsmeade and ducked into the Three Broomsticks for roasted corn on the cob with melty butter and sliced roast beef with fresh bread. Madam Rosemerta poured them each a tiny glass of rich, red wine and they feasted and whispered and laughed. James's lips were nearly irresistible with a sheen of butter. Lily thought she very much would like to just kiss them right here. But, she resisted. They thanked Rose and left the Three Broomsticks to wander through the Village.

The sleigh rides were departing in quarter hour intervals and they caught theirs at half seven. The sleighs were pulled by a single Clydesdale and the driver wisely, ignored them. Once out of the Village the sleigh took a wide path through the forest. It was unbelievably beautiful, the snow falling through the trees, their faces flushed with cold wind and they snuggled close under the great thick blanket provided to enjoy the ride. The lake surface offered a very swift, smooth pace that seemed to encourage laughing out loud. The view of the castle from here was singular; their powerful and golden fortress. Time flew and ceased simultaneously. James and Lily. They were becoming James and Lily. They had no idea what they discussed but whatever it was, it was the best conversation ever. They smiled until their faces hurt, the wind froze their faces that way, they snuggled and whispered into each other's ears. Sadly though, time, it seems, only moves forward and soon enough they could hear the musicians tuning up for this evenings dance as their sleigh slowed to a stop for the next riders. James hopped down from the sleigh and lifted Lily down. They remained arm in arm as they wandered their way to The Station where they found their friends.

"You two look like you are enjoying yourselves." Mars was holding Sirius's hand and he was grinning fit to burst.

"We are!" Lily shared a knowing look with Mars. "You look rather happy as well. Did you take the sleigh ride? It was marvelous!"

"We did. Then we were freezing, stopped in to say hey to Abe, warmed up a bit, had a lovely red wine, fresh baked pretzels with sharp cheddar and sour apples at Rose's and here we are. Who's playing?"

"No idea Mars but who cares? It's music outside on a snowy night and I am with Lily. They could be a marching band and I don't think I'd notice. Seen Moony or Wormy or Frank and theirs?"

"A few times like ships in the night." Sirius was swaying to the musicians as the went through the beginning of their list of tunes, warming up their instruments and Mars swayed with him, back to front.

At nine o'clock sharp the music began. The first piece was predictably a sweet, slow instrumental that demanded dancing close. The dance floor filled and time once again flew and ceased. They danced every dance, some fast, Irish celebration pieces, some slow and mournful Scottish ballads. The sang when the contemporary music began...they knew these songs and by ten the whole village was singing. Dancing spread to the witches and wizards in the streets. The shop keeps joined in and for the last hour, music and magic filled Hogsmeade, the sound carried clear to the grounds of the Castle.

Dumbledore was in his office with a fire blazing and the window open...there was something freeing about being eccentric. He could hear the voices raised in song carried to his ear on the cold night air and he closed his eyes; hoping fervently that the evening, remain, free from fear and violence. It was Christmastime. Then he called to Fawkes and happily made their way to the Great Hall where festivities provided for the first and second years, were in full swing. Fawkes took to flying around the room while Dumbledore made his way into the crowd. They had endured a terrible year and Dumbledore meant to do what he could to bring them the joys of the season.

In Hogsmeade, the musicians refused to stop playing at eleven. The students were torn but the night had been too perfect to ruin now. Reluctantly and for the first time since coming to Hogwarts, The Marauders did as they were told and made their way back to the horseless carriages for the ride home. They could still hear the merrymaking in Hogsmeade as the disembarked in front of the castle. Filch was actually smiling and swaying to the music with Miss Norris in his arms. He took his time to check every single student as they returned. The entry way was a blaze with light and when they entered, the doors to the Great Hall opened of their own accord.

Dumbledore rewarded their obedience with a celebration of his own. The house tables lined the perimeter and were filled with every treat the house elves had ever made for them. There were live fairies by the thousands floating around the Great Hall adding to the magical quality of the light. There was a fountain in the center complete with some sparkling, magic libation. It was Dumbledore's specialty: self-limiting alcohol! He had engaged musicians of his own and the teachers were there to greet them in their own Holiday best. Even the Aurors were in holiday dress!

"So, we're carrying on?" Sirius barked as he and Mars moved forward to greet their Professors.

"This is all for you Mr. Black; for your obedience." Professor McGonagall actually graced him with a smile. He bowed deeply to her and then in a moment of inspiration. "Professor McGonagall, may I have this dance?"

She actually blushed. He had not addressed her properly for years but rose from her chair and joined Sirius Black on the dance floor. This party lasted well into the night. All the years took part. First years danced with seventh years with the help of _Wingardium Leviosa,_ house elves and ghosts joined the celebration, the residents of the hundreds of portraits could be found dancing and singing and visiting in their frames. The Marauders and their Minions sang and danced and enjoyed the treats that surrounded them on the house tables. At midnight, they all raised a glass to celebrate the arrival of the Christmas Holiday and their voices resounded off the castle walls; "Happy Christmas!"

"Who knew that behaving offered so many rewards?" Sirius asked James.

Remus however answered. "Obviously not us. Perhaps Frank. We may have been missing out!" He held Dorcas in his arms but they were all watching the celebrants on the dance floor.

"Where're Pete and Mary? Why is it they're never around?" James asked, looking around, frowning and rumpling his hair.

"I saw them sneaking off upstairs about a half hour ago. Who knew our Pete was such a player?" Sirius said with a rare note of pride in his tone.

"I don't think he's a player Sirius, I think he's in love!" Mars said sounding pleased.

"Speaking of love, did you two have a lovely time?" Dor looked all of them up and down as if to find evidence of how good a time they might have had.

Lily turned her own investigative look Dor's way. "Did you Dor? Did you two have a lovely time?"

"Yes! Yes, we did." Dor announced. She was such a spark! She was practically singing now and she stood and dragged Remus back out on to the dance floor.

"Pads, no sighting of our two Slytherin targets?"

"Not a one Prongs. Check the map." They did check the Map and their two targets were in their common room with a load of other Slytherins. Not one of them however could be identified as not belonging so James wiped the Map and put it back in his pocket. Dumbledore took a turn on the dance floor with Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick levitated himself and twirled with Madam Pomfrey, Hagrid and Professor McGonagall began Reeling with a group of the Aurors and the musicians took notice and played proper Scottish Reeling music.

"If I'd known we'd be Reeling, I'd have brought my kilt!"

"You have a kilt Sirius?"

"Of course, Flower. I love Reeling!"

Apparently, Dumbledore was familiar with this traditional Scottish dance and joined in. It was beautiful really. Seen from above it must have been kaleidoscopic!

At one in the morning, from High Table, Dumbledore cleared his throat and the Hall quieted. The Headmaster wished to address his students.

"Music, laughter, fine food, good company, love, joy and celebration! These are the best gifts of magic. I wish you all the Happiness of Christmas! But even good things must end and you all have a train to catch tomorrow. Sleep well, dream your dreams and have a safe journey! I will see you all again in two weeks-time." There were audible groans all around the Hall, "I know it's shortened but we have had to alter the calendar a bit. Thank you all for a wonderful evening; I enjoyed myself tremendously! Now, off to bed!"

They had been so well rewarded for doing as they had been told that even now none of the Marauders were plotting how to make this evening stretch. They climbed the hundreds of stairs to Gryffindor Tower with their witches and wished Happy Christmas to the Fat Lady. Oddly, she opened right up! Maybe it was the newest password.

There were nearly a hundred students all filing into their common room so the older students let the younger students in first; it was polite and allowed them a few extra minutes to say a proper goodnight.

"Should we risk it Mars? A kiss right here in the corridor, in front of everyone, including the Fat Lady and the Aurors?"

"Naw love, just be patient, the queue is thinning and we'll be inside soon. Private kisses are always worth waiting for." They remained arm in arm waiting their turn.

Dor and Remus were snuggling and laughing quietly, deep in their own private conversation, Frank and Alice were kissing and didn't care who saw. They were among friends though so no one actually watched. Pete and Mary returned looking naughty and a bit rumpled. James and Lily hung back, lingering at the end of the queue, hand in hand but very quiet. When it was their turn, The Fat Lady closed the portrait hole. "It took you two long enough! Go on, I won't watch! Honestly". The Fat Lady appeared to leave and James and Lily were alone and stranded in the corridor. He took her hand and they walked to a quiet corner and faced one another.

"Lily." James breathed, "I had the best night of my life! Thank you for coming with me, just with me. I've dreamt about this you know? It was better than even my wildest dreams. And believe me I have had some wild dreams about you and me."

"James?" She was looking at him with a hunger he had never seen. "Kiss me."

It was like time stopped, their faces moved closer and as Lily looked up, his lips were right there. He kissed the side of her mouth as if to be certain of her command. She kissed the side of his. Their lips got to know one another, the softness and the certainty behind their motives. Lily's parted just enough to invite him in and he obliged. Their tongues embraced and their breathing quickened. Their bodies fell into one another. They held on for dear life, kissing and exploring. He picked her up, hearts pounding, blood filling places with a life of their own. This was it. This was the whole reason for everything, no thinking, just loving oblivion. They remained blissfully unaware of everything except for their mutual exploration. It lasted forever or maybe for no time at all. When they were certain that they had made their feelings, crystal clear they slowed down but lingered. Hands slowly left places that they had only just been, the heat evaporated and their thoughts intruded. When their lips finally parted their faces millimeters apart Lily spoke.

"I should have said that years ago! It would have prevented so many rows!"

James grace her wit with a nod and a shrug as if to say, _I told you so_ and set her on her feet. He still held her close and inhaled her sent and looked into her eyes with his own. He let every doubt and every fear show. He was vulnerable to her, only to her. She had his heart in her hands now and there would be no turning back. She smiled up at him took his face in her hands and said simply, "We'll be fine James. We'll be just fine."


	14. Chapter Fourteen: Potter Manor

**Chapter XIIII Potter Manor**

The train ride that carried them all back to their families was surprisingly short. They had none of James's pastries this time so they indulged in all the treats offered by the Trolley Witch. Bertie Bott's were always risky: you could never be sure what you'd get even even when you were certain that the bean in your hand this time was exactly the same as last time; it never was. They snoozed, they played exploding snap, they even read today's Prophet. It concluded that the possible breakout from Azkaban was in fact just a rumor.

The Scottish Highlands, rolled into low lands and the snow, though present as far as the eye could see, was not deep enough to bury the houses that began to dot the landscape. Fields soon came with fences and then they were surrounded by farming country that was enjoying a winter nap, little villages with cottages were blanketed in a fresh coat of snow. Winding country lanes morphed into proper roadways that changed from single lane roads to perpendicular streets and cars replaced horse drawn carriages. The lamps in the corridor and each compartment lit themselves as London loomed before them: teaming with lights and noise and shoppers crowding the streets that were decorated in all their holiday glory.

Platform nine and three-quarters was filled too with the hidden magical community, excitedly waiting on the return of their children, who were finally home for the holidays. When the train stopped the bustle of disembarking began in earnest. Trunks rolled off the train and parents shouted greetings when their own child was close enough to embrace. There was much hugging and kissing all around.

Euphemia Potter found her son. It was dark, she actually had to look for him but always relied his hair as her landmark. Tonight, was no different except James had his arm around a tiny, red-haired beauty. Sirius was of course hand in hand with Mars.

"Euphie, that must be Lily. Well, no wonder our James has been in angst, look at her... she is singular."

"She is Monte and look at James's face, his posture...well...we better go meet this witch who has stolen our son's heart."

"James! Sirius! Welcome back!" Euphemia and Fleamont Potter hurried over to their boys. Euphemia swept James into her arms as he was closest and kissed him on his face. "Welcome back son! Sirius, come here. Give your Euphie a hug." She embraced Sirius next and then draped her arms over their shoulders, turning them to her husband.

"Dad!" They said together and they hugged him too.

"Mum, Dad, this is Lily. Lily, these are my parents."

Lily was struck by how much James resembled them both. "Mr. and Mrs. Potter, it is so good to meet you!"

"As it is to finally meet you Lily. We already know quite a bit about you but you are even lovelier than even James's description, if that is possible. I am Euphemia but everyone calls me Euphie because my mother was mad when she named me and this is Fleamont but we all call him Monte; his mum was mad as well. We hope that you will be visiting us over the Holidays?"

"Thank you. I'd like that very much. James has told me quite a lot about you and your elves. I really enjoyed his pictures from last summer. Mr. Potter, you have your own laboratory? I am hoping to follow in your footsteps."

"Monte. Lily, please, it's just Monte and you will receive the grand tour!"

"Mars welcome back! Your parents were right behind is in the Floo Queue and … Oh, here they are!"

"Marlene! Oh, my beloved girl, welcome home!" Mars was scooped up by her formidable father in a fierce hug. "Daddy!" she exclaimed.

"Now, now dear, you must share! We have missed you honey. Welcome home." Her mum planted a kiss on Mar's forehead and the great reunion was underway.

The Lupin's found Remus and his mother burst into happy tears when he introduced his parents to Dor. Dor's parents were tanned from their travels and hugged their daughter; shaking hands enthusiastically with Remus.

Pete's parents were overjoyed to see their son and to meet Mary. The

McDonald's, crossed the magical barrier from King's Cross with the Meadow's; they couldn't stand to wait for Mary on the Muggle side. When they saw their Mary, they swallowed her in a tri-hug. There were so many people greeting and hugging that Lily had to duck beneath the groups arms and stand on her tip-toes to find her own parents. She found the Longbottom's and the Prewett's reuniting. At last, surrounded by all this magic she found her own mum and dad. She hadn't realized how much she had missed them until she saw them and she burst into a run and wrapped them in her arms.

"Mum! Dad! Oh my, I have missed you both so much!"

"Welcome home sweet pea! Now where is this James Potter we've heard so much about? Isn't he the one you used to complain about so much; the _arrogant, bullying, toe-rag?"_

"He's the one! He's just there, dad, the tall one with the mad black hair and the glasses. That's James!"

"Well my girl, come on, introduce us to your wizard!"

Lily proudly led her parents over to her crowd of friends. They gave James the once over and as soon as he looked properly nervous Lily's dad burst into a deep laugh and shook his hand. Lily continued her introductions starting with Sirius, she pointed to Pete and Mary who waved cheerily. She pointed out Frank and Alice. Alice made a mad dash over to hug them both. Dor shouted her greeting to Lily's parents and Remus waved. She introduced James's parents to her own and left them to their own pleasantries. She found James's hand and dragged him out of the crowd.

"So, you will owl me James? Oh...this is harder than I anticipated. Two weeks! It's a long time. I'll miss you!"

"But Lily, this time we know each other, properly. We've been on a date!" He grinned a sheepish grin but plowed on. "Of course, I'll owl! I'll probably owl the instant I get home! And you will come to my house...several times and get to know my parents and my elves. And once I'm invited, I'll come to yours. I'll even try to not hex Petunia."

"Thanks. Thank God, she didn't come. I was dreading that."

"Mighty will expect an instant reply."

Sirius ambled over with Mars and he actually gave Lily a hug.

"You'll visit Flower. We will have a great time. Be good now." He winked at her. Mars gave her a hug too with promises of owls and demanded that she come to her home as well as to Potter Manor! Remus and Dor ran over for a last hug. Frank and Alice waved from the crowd and Pete and Mary blew kisses. How different this was to just a few months ago, she had friends, a tribe in the magical world. Lily's father found her trunk and began to roll it their way.

James leaned down and whispered in her ear, "See you soon. I'll miss you." And then he was off to join his own family for the Floo home.

"Well, he is far more appealing than that Snape boy. We never really liked him you know? He seemed kind of creepy."

"Oh mum, it was never Snape! It was James! It's always been James. We just needed to grow up a bit, you know? Now, take me home!"

"Yes mam! Come dear, let's take our little witch home! Can you imagine what people would think of us if they heard me refer to our Lily as our 'little witch'?

Lily opened the door to her bedroom and had to think to remember to switch on the light. Electricity. She'd forgotten. It was odd to be in the Muggle world. She looked around her room and it looked strange, like someone else lived here. Was she so much different four months ago? It looked like a child's room. Her father had already brought her trunk up and placed it in a corner. She had to remind herself, no magic. It became her mantra while she was home; no magic. When she was a child she'd loved her room. She and her mother decorated it together in pinks and purples, just like millions of Muggle girls. Well, she wouldn't change it now, she knew in that moment that she would never live in the Muggle world again. She would return next summer but it would be the last time that she would stay here. She had no idea how she knew this, she just did. She would certainly visit her parents but she would be living in the world of magic as soon as it was her legal choice to do so. She walked to her trunk and opened the lid. Sitting on top of all her things was an envelope with her name on it in James's hand. She picked up the envelope and lifted it to her face. She inhaled; there it was, a trace of James. She closed her trunk and sat down on it, opened the note carefully and started to read.

 _Lily, I miss you already. Love, James_

She sat on her trunk looking at the words. She had a vision of him in her mind writing the note: wand hand holding the quill, the other in his hair, lips wet from being licked in concentration, his shoulders squared with conviction, his hazel eyes reading and rereading what he wrote, short as it was it said a lot. His fingers carefully placing it in the envelope. He'd use his wand to seal it. Mighty would be at his side waiting patiently to deliver to Lily, James's love. Disappointed when James placed it in her trunk, Mighty might just cuff him for that. He wrote the word...love. She missed him already. She was startled by a pecking at her window.

"Mighty!" She hurried to the window to open it for the freezing bird. "Get in here, you'll freeze out there." She watched him fly silently through her window and land on her trunk, dripping snowmelt everywhere. She had never been with this large bird without James: he was huge and a bit intimidating. She removed the letter and then spoke to James's owl. "Wait here. I'll be right back. She jumped up and nearly ran to the door, dashed down the stairs into the kitchen. Her parents were there and a little startled at her sudden arrival.

"Mighty is here! I need some water or juice. He loves juice. No owl treats, ah but we have some bacon and I need a towel; he's soaked!" She managed to crumble the bacon leftover in the fridge, got a small glass and filled it with orange juice and a second glass of water, just in case the OJ wasn't well received. Then, balancing her cargo of offerings, she dashed back upstairs to the bathroom as her parents gapped. She grabbed the towels right off the rack then, she hurried back to her room. The great bird had obviously flapped his wings in an effort to dry them, there was water everywhere now. Currently he was attempting to preen his white with black plumage but he was still very wet. She placed her offerings next to the owl and then showed him the towel. He looked it over imperiously and then inspected the juice, sampled a mouthful and then drank some more. Then he proceeded to the bacon. She'd done well, Mighty was pleased and carried on with eating and drinking.

"Thank you Mighty for braving this weather on James's behalf." The bird turned his great golden eyes on her and blinked. "I could help with that, if you'll let me." She moved cautiously toward the bird and showed him the towel once more. He hooted softly and nudged it with his head and proceeded to rub his face over it in an obvious attempt to dry himself. Lily was encouraged, so she proceeded to dry is face and his wings. He was almost cat-like in demonstration of his approval of this; maybe he'd never been dried with a towel before. She figured the Potter's would use a drying spell rather than a towel. He was wet enough that she needed a second towel but when she finished Mighty looked at her again and she could have sworn that he winked at her. She smiled and raised a finger to the bird asking permission to touch him; he permitted this and she proceeded to stroke his great head and neck. He was a beautiful owl.

He seemed quite content so she went to her closet, pulled out her fluffiest blanket and placed it on the corner of her desk. She beckoned the owl to perch there and he complied, tucking his great white and black head under his now dry wing and he closed his eyes. Lily had completely forgotten the letter he delivered so as he slept she opened it and began to read.

Dear Lily,

James has suggested that you visit us the day of Christmas Eve and we would love to have you! James would like to Floo you here, sometime mid-morning and you could join us for the day. Please show this invitation to your parents so they might feel at ease with it and give you their permission. Just let us know the time James should arrive. We will be certain to get you home in time to spend Christmas with your family. The house elves can't wait to meet you and Monte has talked of nothing but showing you his laboratory since we Flooed home. James sends his love, I'm sure but as I have commandeered his owl, you'll just have to hear it from me. Hoping to see you soon, Euphie Potter

Lily was stunned. James's mother wrote her a letter! She seemed quite unique, even just from these few lines Lily knew she would like this witch. She dashed downstairs to join her parents and show them the invitation. It took Lily ages to fall asleep that night. Her mind was a whirl of new possibilities. James had sent his love in a private note that he secretly packed into her trunk. His mother wrote her a letter and personally invited her to visit on Christmas Eve. James took her on a date! Her world was changing at light speed and she couldn't wait to join the Potter's at their home for Christmas Eve. They had kissed … She and James had kissed! It was blissful oblivion, kissing James. In the darkness of her pink and purple Muggle bedroom, Mighty snoozed on her desk and Lily's face remained a perpetual smile. She fell asleep snuggling her jumper which carried the scent of James. It was the only other place shed ever found it and she had searched for it for years. With his note in her delicate, white fingers she drifted off; still smiling.

The days leading up to Christmas Eve were wonderful. It just so happened that Petunia was spending Christmas with the Dursley's, to get to know them properly so, Lily had her parents and her house all to herself. Mighty departed the following day returning with her enthusiastic acceptance of Euphie's invitation and the particulars of James's Floo to her house. She, received numerous letters from her friends and all of their owls seemed at ease in her home; Lily was certain that they all had an appreciation for a Petunia free atmosphere. Lily shopped with her mother in Diagon Alley, decorated with her father, wrapped presents on her own in her room, listening to the radio. She missed the WWN but made do.

Lily's father was the real cook in their family and Christmas dinner was the high point of his culinary calendar. She spent the days leading up to Christmas Eve day having a marvelous time with her parents. When not in full preparation mode they watched old Christmas movies on the telly; The Grinch Who Stole Christmas was the family favorite, they played Monopoly and chess; her mother played an excellent game and Lily took advantage of the lessons she provided hoping they would come in handy. Lily was finally relaxing back into a magic-free life and feeling very happy that she had such wonderful parents to come home to. But she secretly couldn't wait to get back to being a witch!

On Christmas Eve morning, Lily woke at seven, showered, dressed and had a light breakfast of tea and toast with her parents. She thought it best to not Floo on a full stomach. It wasn't reputed to be pleasant, Flooing, and she'd hate to vomit in front of James and his parents. At precisely nine o'clock James Flooed into the Evans's living room fireplace, presents in hand.

"Happy Christmas!" James offered his gifts to Lily's mother as he stepped out and brushed himself down. "Sorry 'bout the ash." Seeing Mr. Evans, James stuck out his hand and said, "Happy Christmas Mr. Evans!"

"Likewise, Mr. Potter," and he shook the young wizard's hand.

"James is fine Mr. Evans, my dad's Mr. Potter, I'm just James; even my dad doesn't go in much for the 'Mr.' bit. These are from all of us but mum and I baked them, of course Nila supervised." He winked at Lily when he mentioned Nila. "It took, more than one try before she was satisfied. Lily liked them so, I hope you do too. We tried our hand at a couple of new recipes; there's divinity and toffee and of course Lily's favorite; caramel. There's also a couple of bottles of my dad's wine; I hope it's tasty."

"Nila is their kitchen coach mum, dad; she's a house elf. Hi James."

"Hi Lily." They were both blushing.

"A spot of tea and toast before the return trip?"

"Thanks. That'd be great."

Lily's mother tended to the kettle and the toast while her father examined the wine, sampled the confections and received a brief explanation from both Lily and James of what a house elf was.

"He's the cook in our house," Lily's mother offered pointing her thumb over her shoulder at Lily's dad. "I can do tea and toast but anything more complicated isn't worth risking."

"It smells delicious in here, I take it you have started preparing your Christmas feast?"

"I have James and when you Floo our Lily home tonight I expect you to give it all a taste. These are delicious, by the way."

"Thank you, Mr. Evans. I absolutely will join you when I Floo Lily home. We should get together sometime and swap recipes."

After tea and toast James told Lily to bundle up because it was snowing like mad at his place. She did and then met him in the living room to Floo to his.

"James, I think I should tell you, I've never Flooed before... I'm a bit nervous."

"No problem, we can Floo together. Parents do it all the time with their little ones. You've got your wand?"

"Of course." She showed him her wand safely tucked into the inside pocket of her jeans.

"Good. You'll have to hug me. I'd be willing if you are? We'll be fine, I promise."

Lily's living room fireplace had always seemed a bit grand for the house but now she wondered if wizards might have lived here once. They practiced saying "Potter Manner!" in unison several times before James stepped in, he offered Lily a hand and she joined him. Her mother insisted on taking their picture, right there inside the fireplace and so she got out her Polaroid and snapped a shot. James took out his bag of Floo powder, reached in for a handful, offered the remaining powder to Lily's mum to keep; they were overjoyed to have it, the magic Floo powder. Lily took hold of James around his middle.

"You might want to tuck your head in a bit, to avoid the ash, seeing as it's your first time an' all." Lily complied and he took hold of her around her shoulders. They were stood very close. She was sure she was blushing and glad that she was tucked. James counted down from three and just after three they said "Potter Manor!" together, at the exact same time James threw the Floo powder toward their feet; it burst into blue flames. Just as her mother took another Polaroid they were sucked away from Lily's house and spun their way to Potter Manor.

It was a horrible feeling, Flooing. Spinning while being sucked through space from one location to another but mercifully, it was brief. They arrived in an open stone gazebo that was surrounded by deep, fresh snow. She was still on her feet!

"This is our egress point; it seems exposed but it's quite safe, warded like Hogwarts, mum never liked the idea that wizards could just Floo directly into each other's homes. Anyway, welcome Lily to Potter Manor. But it's behind you. I still can't get the knack of arriving in the right direction."

Lily turned around and off in the distance through the falling snowflakes she saw Potter Manor for the first time. She was gobsmacked! The great stone manse was set on the side of a forested hill with sweeping snow-covered gardens in the front. It was very similar to an oversized cottage or a smallish village joined under one roof. Elegant mullioned windows in every wall, deeply sloping, black slate roofs covered in snow. It was constructed in light pinkish rock so it looked inviting even from here, it surely must glow in the sunlight. It had numerous wings that led off from the central structure each complete with at least one round tower room, a balcony and chimney. The snow was deep and it make James's home look like the most amazing gingerbread house ever constructed. Lily could see the greenhouses, rock and glass structures on the lower right side of the front gardens. Potter Manor was a small castle!

"Come on, it's freezing out here!" James took her hand and he led her to a stone lined tunnel at the back of the gazebo complete with bracketed torches for light and warmth. "Winter access; it's seven wands deep out there if it's an inch."

The floor was well worn stone and as they got closer, great old ornate hooks along the stone walls were hung with all manner of winter clothing, brooms and umbrellas and hats and cloaks. Lily just let James lead her along as she was too busy taking it all in to think about walking. She felt just like she did the first time she saw Diagon Alley and Hogwarts. The tunnel floor started to incline and when they reached the end there was an oak door with stained glass windows that was opened from the inside by a house elf.

"Master James, you'll catch your death! Miss Lily, welcome to Potter Manor. My name is Wik and we are here to serve."

Lily removed her gloves and reached out to shake Wik's proffered hand. "It's my pleasure to meet you Wik. How's the flying going?"

"Brilliantly, Miss Lily. Master James showed you the pictures?" Wik looked guilty at being caught on camera indulging in such an un-house elf activity but he leaned closer to Lily like he had a naughty secret for her, ducked his great head a bit and whispered, "It's most diverting; helps the knees." Then he straightened, all decorum returned and reached out his hands, "If you please: hat, scarf, cloak. Master James, your mother is waiting in the kitchen with tea or coffee. You know how stubborn she can be. Be sure to wash your hands first."

Lily looked at James smirking face. "Wik doesn't approve of coffee; it's un-Scottish, nor does he approve of mum preparing it for guests. So, after a bit of a battle, Wik won on the preparation and mum won the coffee. C'mon! They're so excited to have you here. If we don't hurry she'll come find us and Wik won't approve of that either!"

The tunnel brought them to the rear entrance of Potter Manor. They ascended the stairs were Lily found herself in the mud room complete with sink, hose and floor drain. Obediently James and Lily washed their hands and following his lead she removed her boots.

"Wik won't permit outdoor shoes in the house! But we have loads of socks!"

The stone floor was warm through her socks and she whispered mostly to herself, 'I love magic!" but James heard her. He gave her a joy-filled smile, opened the door and bowed her in.

They stepped over the threshold into the kitchen. It was very large and round, obviously the first floor of one of the many towers Lily saw. There was a fire blazing in a great old fireplace made of the same pinkish rock as she saw outside. It was a bright open room with expansive windows all along one wall to catch the morning sun. Euphemia Potter stood by a window waiting for them, looking out at the snow.

At first, she appeared in cameo against the expansive white backdrop. She was completely perfect! She heard them and turned in greeting. Her features were revealed as she approached. This was the first proper look Lily had of this monumentally important witch, the platform had been too busy but now, Lily got to appreciate Euphie Potter up close.

She was in late middle age. She wore her smooth greying hair, which had probably been dark auburn, if Lily could go by the witch's coloring, in a lovely loose knot on the top of her head. Her skin was light and flawless save for a few laugh lines around her mouth and eyes. She wore spectacles low on her nose in the fashion of McGonagall through which clever, forest green eyes greeted Lily. Her ear lobes were decorated with two sets of jeweled ear rings that were each, different to the others. She wore, soft mustard yellow and grey velvet, robes, accented with thick grey stole around her graceful neck, hands and feet. Her feet sported fuzzy, homemade socks to match. She wore only a single gold ring on her left hand, fourth finger; her life-bond ring. Lily had never seen a witch who embodied grace and force in quite such a way as Euphie Potter. Elegant but very down to earth. Understated, immense wealth in both spirit and gold. She was utterly unpretentious, just like her son. Lily was drawn to this witch instantly.

"Lily! Welcome! I hope James Flooed you here without making you feel the need to vomit. He doesn't get much practice Flooing in pairs."

"Mum, come on! I'd never make Lily vomit!"

Magic families were delightfully different from Muggle families. As down to earth as her parents were, the word vomit would not be in the first sentence spoken to a guest in the Muggle world. Then again, they didn't Floo. In this context, it was completely normal conversation.

"He did not. I had a light breakfast. It was my first time and I was worried that I might, you know? I took precautions." Lily immediately walked straight to James's mum to accept her outstretched hand. "It's lovely to be here. Thanks so much for inviting me. I've seen pictures, of course, but that first view from your gazebo was breathtaking!"

"Thank you, Lily. We like it. Tea? Coffee? I'll even let Nila pour!" She said all this with a mischievous grin ... just like James would would've said it. Then she conjured her Patronus, it was a vixen and spoke to it, "Monte! She's here! Get a move on!" and sent it off to find her husband. "He's been puttering down there all morning; can't wait to give you the tour!"

"Flower!" Sirius ambled into the kitchen looking well cared for, content and barefoot. Lily remembered that Sirius was usually barefoot. "How'd he, do? Did ya vomit?"

"Oh God, will you two, stop! I did fine, didn't I Lily?" James's face defiant.

"Not a drop Pads! I forgot I'd see you here. Yay! How are you Sirius?"

"You forgot? I'm insulted! Witches never forget Sirius Black!"

"I didn't really forget, I just didn't remember."

"Miss Lily! Welcome, welcome! I have been busy, all morning preparing for you. Can't wait to have another Potioneer in the house. James, you didn't make her vomit, did you?" Monte said all this with a mischievous grin in a faintly Scottish accent.

James's dad was a lovely older man with wild grey hair which must have once been jet black, so, in was genetic. He had warm grey eyes and a still strong build; an obvious result of all those years of dueling. He greatly resembled James in physique and manner. He was just shorter than his son and arrived in a flowing, white lab cloak, complete with pockets full if lab paraphernalia and shoes! James's hands were destroying his hair and just as he was about to defend his Flooing skill once again, he was interrupted.

"Master Monte! Your lab cloak and shoes please!" Wik apparated into the kitchen as if, on cue, to scold James's dad for his attire.

"Wik's rule book; number three and two just after 'Wash your hands!' He rules us with an iron fist Lily but we'd be lost without him. Excuse me while I change. We're glad to have you with us!"

A mare Patronus appeared in the kitchen and asked, "Is she here?"

"Mars." Lily said. She conjured her own and just said, "Mars!" And it was off to deliver her reply. As Lily's Patronus zoomed off, Lily noted the satisfied look Euphie's features adopted as she turned to Lily.

"Let's have some coffee shall we and when Monte gets back and Mars arrives we'll figure out how to spend our day."

They were enjoying coffee and freshly baked croissants when Mars came charging in from the mud room. She slid in on the seamless, red clay enameled floor in her stockinged feet to wrap Lily in a hug before she could even stand.

"Please Mars, do join us." Euphie teased, shaking her head affectionately while indicating a chair and Nila was there to pour.

"Hey Nila, thanks! So, Lily did ya vomit?"

"I am so unappreciated! Will you all bugger off! Honestly, you'd think I'm eleven!"

"Just teasing James. I'm sure you did just fine." Mars gave James a sympathetic smile and patted his knee.

The snow was actually getting so thick that the view from the windows had almost disappeared. They all sat in the warm kitchen. The crackling fire was tended by Wik while Nila supervised the kitchen. Many things were in progress; Nila had obviously started to prepare the Christmas Feast. Potatoes were pealing themselves, peas were self-shucking and it was all very enjoyable to watch.

"James? Where's Mighty?"

"He'll be in the Aviary with our other birds. That last trip to your house was his last for a while and if you can believe it he demanded to be dried by hand with a towel! Even he can't be out there in weather like this no matter how massive he is. Although he loves winter hunting. Likes to dive into snow drifts! Mum and dad each have their own owl and of course Freyja will be there too. Persephone might be visiting. We keep Ravens and Falcons. As you know, Ravens aren't post owls but they are clever birds and we enjoy their company. Mum's a Falconer. Actually, I'm sure he'll expect you to stop by. He likes you. We could get a start on it now; the grand tour. It will take some time."

Lily smiled at James. He was evidently beside himself that she was here.

"So, Miss Lily...wanna join me for a stroll?" James offered her his hand and she took it and rose. Then he indicated the crook of his arm, just like a proper gentleman and she laced her arm through his. "See ya in about a month!" he chimed and escorted Lily from the kitchen.

"The advantage of a huge home is the time it takes to see it! Remember the picture of Wik negotiating the stairs? Well, that shot was taken about here."

They had exited from the kitchen into the entry way. It seemed that all the floors were heated and made of the same seamless, baked red clay. When she looked down she noticed his socks were hand-made and similar to his mum's. Directly in front of Lily was The Great Room complete with a floor to ceiling Christmas tree, to her right was a wide corridor that ended in the cherry wood double front doors adorned left, right and above with stained glass windows. To her left was the curving marble staircase that led to the upper floors.

She just stood there trying to absorb the reality of it; James's grand home and his unassuming manner seemed entirely in keeping with the person she knew now and utterly contradictory to the person she had always assumed he was. It was from here, all that he is, that James sprung; this was his home. He was spoiled. Spoiled with gold but also with sincerity and kindness and parental devotion! He was adored by his house elves and he obeyed them! No wonder Sirius ran here when he escaped Grimmauld Place! The Potter's had more than enough of everything that was fundamentally important and it showed even in this grand home. It was lived-in! It was marvelous! James's summer pictures failed to it justice: the very high ceiling, the artistic detail of the wood, the lived-in leather furniture, the curtain-less windows, stone walls, fired red clay floors, faintly worn with common foot-paths and adorned with thick colorful rugs.

"I've never been in a home like this before James. It's unbelievable!"

"Thanks Lily." He shrugged and let her look while he looked at her. Win-win. "I'll show you the whole place and it will take a while so we can, you know, be alone. I couldn't wait for you to come. Woke up in the dark this morning!"

"Where are we James?" It was only in a magic home that its actual location was a secondary consideration, its Floo location being the first.

"We are on the north-eastern coast of Scotland between St. Combs and St. Fergus. Straight in front of us, across the North Sea is Stavanger, Norway."

"So that's why the Floo flames were blue then, I mean we Flooed a long way."

"Exactly. Much further and the flames would have been purple! Anyway, Potter Manor has been our family home for generations. There was a time when we were a very large and extended family but no longer so, the scale of the house is now a bit disproportionate. Still, we've made use of it all. We can't see the coast today because of the weather but it is just about a quarter mile beyond the front doors. Now that I mention it I can't even see beyond the front doors, can you?" They walked to the front doors; the stained-glass windows offering a colored view of the snow but no way to gauge how serious it was due to their natural distortion. "Should I risk it, open the door, I mean?"

"I dunno, could be risky!" Lily teased. "Sure, why not? You're a wizard James; use a shield charm if needs must."

James conjured a shield and opened the doors. The snow-flakes were the size of sickles and so thick you couldn't see beyond the front steps. The snow was falling straight down so James dropped his shield and they stepped outside. The air was completely silent in the unique way that silence came during snowfall. They stood there just beyond the open doorway surrounded by a white wonderland until they were scolded by a house elf.

"Master James shut that door!" the house elf said, scowling.

"Sorry Flite but look at it out there! Oh...by the way, Flite, this is Lily. Lily this is Flite."

"Miss Lily, lovely to meet you. It's about time! Master James ... the door! It's freezing out there and you'll get your socks wet!"

James shut the door looking properly reprimanded. "We are on the tour Flite. I won't open the doors any more ... promise. Besides, it's not as if we don't have more!"

He pointed to what was on Lily's left side now, looking toward the interior of the manor and sure enough, where Muggles might hang coats, the Potter's had shareable, hand knit socks, in all lengths from footies to leggings. It seemed they were made from every type of wool imaginable; cashmere, angora, mohair, alpaca and were dyed deep red, indigo blue, sunset orange, plum, mustard yellow, just to name a few.

"It's a hobby. Of the elves! Before you ask I can knit but not at sock level! Sirius can though! He and Mars spend hours together, knitting. Bet you'd never have imagined that, eh! They are all ready for anyone to wear; you should see Dumbledore and McGonagall in them! No one wears shoes in this house; Wik's Rule number two. You'll understand the necessity of Wik's Rules after about a day. My parent's, aren't big on making rules but they are happy to follow them as long as their Wik's."

"They do try but none of us are perfect." Flite said affectionately. "Now, carry on with your tour Master James. It's good to have you here Miss Lily." Flite gave James and Lily a delighted, elf smile, ears wiggling with apparent joy as he began to dry the floor, shooing them away.

It actually did take the better part of an hour to even get a peek of just the first floor. James took Lily to the library first. He let her lead and she walked around the whole room. The Potter's had books from all over the world in as many different languages as there were people to write them.

"How many languages does your dad read?"

"I dunno... thirteen, maybe more? Mum reads nine."

"And Master James, how many does he read?" Lily asked, mimicking Flite.

"Only seven." James said, frowning, like seven languages weren't enough.

Lily just shook her head in a bemused sort of way. Books lined every surface of the room save, the windows, the fireplace and the glass doors that opened out onto the balcony. A great circle of books, two floors high. Lily, touched the spines. Old books in deep red and purple and blue leathers, they were organized by subject so Lily went to the P's and found a lifetime's worth of study material on Potions, next to books with titles like Potter Manor: Then and Now or Potter's Potions for the Perplexed and Puzzled and The Peverell's: A Partial and Highly Unsubstantiated History. She went to the Q's and found Quidditch Through the Ages, it was well thumbed. She had to crane her neck the shelves were so tall. She went to the H's and found an even more well-thumbed Hogwarts: A History and she smiled. _So, he had read it._

"Told you I read it." James smirked.

"Mea culpa, James." Lily replied. "Looks like more than once."

There was a proper library ladder attached to a rail on second floor landing complete with wheels! It was odd to find wheels in a magic library! It smelled like learning; this room, no, not learning … it smelled like history and like wisdom. She went to the J's wondering if James had a section.

"What did you think you'd find under the J's? Jinx's?"

"No. I thought that you might have your own section?"

"You're joking, right? My parents would never just section off books for me! What good would that do? I had to learn how to use this library to find what I wanted. I love reading in here." James sighed and looked around the whole of his library. "This room is one of my oldest memories. I love this room. It has the right environment for reading and good light. I hate unnatural lighting and distractions when I read, noise especially; I like to dive into a book and not come out until I'm ready. Besides, I got to use the ladder! For the top shelves, it was great fun when I was little. I'd hop on and dad would roll me around the room to different sections; it was more of a ride then. Mum says I tried the ladder before I could walk. I'd sit just up there in my niche, you see," James pointed to a small corner landing complete with a little round table, green desk lamp and a rocking chair. "That was one of my lairs when I was a boy. I flew up there after I learned to, on the same broom Wik uses now."

"So...what have you read?" Lily, was feeling hot, her cheeks were flushed...she really didn't know him at all and that last came out wrong. She couldn't manage to keep the surprise out of her voice but it sounded like sarcasm. She hadn't meant it to sound sarcastic.

"Lily, do you really think I don't read? How could anyone resist a room like this? I can't remember not reading. I've made a good dent in this library." James couldn't keep himself from sounding defensive. He cleared his throat and tried to sound less so. "Every well-thumbed book here is well-thumbed because of my thumbs," he said evenly. "Many volumes are in languages I can't read yet but the histories and the biographies are brilliant; I especially loved Godric Gryffindor and Newt Scamander! We took that picture of Remus in my niche. Poor Pads, he didn't know that regular wizards wrote too, non-Dark wizards I mean. His library at Grimmauld Place was practically lethal. Walburga made him read books that would be in the restricted section at Hogwarts. She is mad, you know. Actually a bona fide nutter; in-breading."

"Growing up here was all I knew as a child. I realize now that it's a bit grand but as a kid, it was just … home." Lily eyed him as if to say 'a bit?' and he shrugged. "Let me explain. My mum and dad were older than your parents are now when I was conceived, obviously. I never knew I was rich. So many of our family's friends live in old homes similar to ours. We, us kids, thought, everyone lived in homes like ours. We were quite sheltered; a left-over from the days of witch hunts, I suppose. Back when wizards went into hiding many built strongholds like Potter Manor to be self-sufficient and for protection; from Muggles. We don't, as a rule, live in towns or cities, remember that there are very few all-wizard towns in all of the United Kingdom. Most old wizarding families live on their own land away from prying Muggles. You know all this though from History of Magic. We are self-sufficient; you could be here for a lifetime and have no need to actually leave. Most old families have old gold." He looked down at Lily and she was listening intently to him so he carried on.

"Mars' family home is almost as old as ours and easily as big but they have five kids so they need loads of room. It's just the other side of the hill. I was indulged really but mum and dad were so chuffed when I came along they say they couldn't help themselves." He laughed and Lily smiled up at him. "Besides, we could never, in our life-times spend all our gold but they do try and not just on me. They spend it on everyone; believe it's their responsibility to share their wealth making people's dreams into reality. They are practically fanatical philanthropists! Watch out! Next, they'll be spending it on you Lily and good luck refusing my dad. He's irresistible, especially to witches." Lily's blanched. She looked quite alarmed at the thought of being on the receiving end of an impossibly generous Monte and this apparently, made James quite happy. "Remember I said they knew Newt Scamander? Someone has to fund wizards like Newt. My parents fill a niche. It gives them great joy and makes for terrific adventures, interesting house guests and awesome bedtime stories!"

"I bet it does! Watch out James or I will have you telling me all those bedtime stories! I'm impossible to resist!" Lily grinned up at James and it was his turn to pale. Balance reestablished, awkwardness evaporated and the both relaxed a bit.

"Touché Lily. Anyway, we've traveled a bit. Dad wanted me to have adventures and mum wanted me to be a part of the rest of the world; live how the other half lives. I have lived in huts and tee-pees, in tree houses and cabins! Summer holidays were always well-spent. They are quite eccentric, my parents. I've done some amazing things Lily! I've herded sheep, panned for gold, sold flatbread in a summer marketplace, I learned how to weave, I've been ice-fishing. I've thrown pots! What a mess that was! Mum found clay in my nostrils! I've snorkeled! That was a hoot! Spooky at first; depending on a Muggle breathing apparatus but I like risk. I never equated other styles of living with wealth or poverty; I just thought that there must a lot of different ways to live. I just didn't realize that what they didn't have, I had in abundance. I hope that all this … isn't off-putting; they may be eccentric but they are also quite down to earth, my mum and dad. I'm explaining myself poorly." His hands went immediately to his hair and Lily, feeling like a heel, reached for them, brought them to her level and stilled them.

"James, you have nothing to explain to me. I could listen to you talk about your life for hours! I've never had any adventures! It's almost better than reading; listening to you, your life is like a story, you've done so much! Imagine the bedtime stories you'll tell to your kids! For the record, I didn't say anything about your family's wealth. You did. It was rude for me to tease you about reading, you're a brilliant wizard so you obviously read. But, given your life, you would be brilliant even if you didn't read! You have actually done the things that the rest of us have to read about in books! I just never see you doing it at school, reading I mean. I apologize. And I am glad that you love to read. It is just very new to me, all this. And this level of wealth would be new to most. Forgive me, please, I am listening ... honestly."

"Well, you did say the magic word. At Hogwarts, I met Sirius and I found a kindred spirit. We had adventures in and around the castle and hatched schemes! Hated Snape together and plotted his demise many times. In spite of our family's differences, Sirius and I were raised very similarly, wanting for nothing and sheltered. Then I met and Remus and Pete. I do read Lily, how could I not and be Remus Lupin's friend? I study too but, it's true I don't much at school. There is too much to do at Hogwarts apart from reading. Besides, I've already read all our text books."

James said this like it was done in an afternoon just for fun. She knew he was not bragging though, once, Lily would have thought he was. He was just being honest.

"Anyway...I just don't like to read where there are distractions, like best mates who are creating a Magical Map of an ancient hidden castle or are secretly werewolves or love exploring and discovering hidden passageways beneath invisibility cloaks! Hogwarts is like a playground! At least it is for me. Just in case you're wondering Sirius reads too! Come on, there's more. You have to know your way around this place if you are going to be a frequent guest."

"James? Could we sit in your niche some time and you could tell me stories?"

"Sure Lily, anytime you want. Mi casa es su casa! That's Spanish just so ya know." They they moved on to the next room.

In, The Ballroom, Lily clapped eyes on the grand piano. "You play! I saw the evidence in your pictures."

"I do. Better than I knit! Mum taught me. She's the artist in the family; learned from magic and Muggle alike, all around the world. Not just music either but art of all types. Anyway, if you'd like, I'll play tonight for Christmas Eve before I Floo you home." His expression changed for an instant to sadness and she understood. She didn't want to leave either. "Just don't ask me to sing; I prefer to just play. Besides, Sirius and Mars are the two with voices. Mum and dad sing but Mars and Sirius are like a choir. Flitwick has begged them to join, but they don't fancy performing. You'll understand when you hear them. Walburga hates that Sirius sings! Thinks singing is for Nancy boys! She's a stupid woman! Have you ever met anyone less qualified to be a Nancy boy? Just imagine her reaction to Sirius knitting!" Lily snorted out a laugh and followed James to the next room.

The Great Room was where the Potter's had the Christmas tree, it filled an entire corner. All the ornaments were delicate hand-blown glass and most were old. "Your mum?"

"Yup. Dad experiments with the glass and creates the colors and textures. They both blow the ornaments but mum chooses the colors and the designs or enamel if they are painted. This evening, I'll show you all of them...I'll levitate you to the top if you like. It'll be fun."

"So, the stained glass around all the windows, your mum and dad too?" James's mouth was closed and he was chewing his lips from the inside and he simply nodded. "The jewelry? Your mum's jewelry?" James nodded. "The socks?" James nodded.

They went to The Study next. This was their room for family pictures. The walls were adorned with pictures of many witches and wizards that Lily either knew personally or knew of. There were pictures of a Quidditch World Cup when James was just a lad, great parties with all her Professors present...pictures when these same Professors were younger. Pictures of the many places the Potter's had been. Lily found a picture of little James standing in front of a herd of sheep. An ancient, weather beaten shepherd had his arm around James's shoulder and James was grinning like an idiot! Evidence of his huge life! She found the picture of his parents with Newt Scamander, they were much younger then. There was a picture of Professor McGonagall bouncing baby James on her knee! Professor McGonagall was a stunning beauty in her day. No wonder Sirius wished he was older! Her professors were obviously the Potter's peers going by pictures, from the time well before James.

His parents had shared an amazingly long, well-traveled life and apparently, they had many, many friends. But none of these earlier pictures showed the joy in the faces of its subjects that could be seen once Euphie was pregnant. That glow pregnant women have never left her. This was James's life, the people who knew him best and loved him. You'd never know that their Professors were actually family friends from the decorum they showed at Hogwarts. Evidence of the secret life of James Potter surrounded her.

Just these rooms had taken them the better part on an hour and seemed to cover only two thirds of the ground floor.

"You could get lost in here if you wanted to and they'd never find you!"

"Thus, the tour. Besides, dad made a map, thought ours was excellent so he made one of the whole estate."

"Clever man, your dad. Must take after his son." They we're standing at the ground floor balcony exit hoping for a view out the windows when Monty's Patronus; a Reynard, got their attention.

"James, bad weather report. Come to the kitchen."

"Let's go see what's up." James reached out for Lily's hand and she laced her fingers with his and walked back to the kitchen. "What's up dad?"

"The Ministry Magimeteorologists have issued a no travel edict for the entire Scottish coast. Apparation is currently prohibited, Flooing beyond the green is prohibited and the Floo network goes off-line in just under an hour. Portkey's are all currently off license and you'd be certifiable if you went out in this on a broom! You won't be going anywhere tonight Lily. We'll have to wait to get the all clear before we get you home; I'm very sorry."

Lily looked confused so Monte explained. "Apparation and Portkeys use time and space Lily. Right now, space is unusually unstable. I know it seems strange to think that weather could affect magic but in extreme conditions like this," he pointed to the windows and the wireless that brought the news, "it does. You know wizards and our affinity for risk? They shut it all down to keep us from the temptation. Don't worry, we will manage to get news to your parents but I can't in all good conscious let you and James leave."

"It's fine Mr. Potter. I'd love to stay here, I just don't want my parents to worry."

"Please Lily, call me Monte! Just Monte."

"Anyway, Euphie and I discussed it and we think if I sent Rey with a message to Albus, then he could Floo message your home as there, it's still within the green, or Minerva could and let them know what's up. I'd send Rey directly to your parent's house but I assume they've never seen a Patronus, given that you still have the trace; it might not have the calming effect that I'd be going for."

"No, you're right. This is a perfect example of why The Secrecy Clause is punitive to Muggle-borns. I should've been allowed to show them mine without penalty just for situations like this."

"She's right dear." Euphie said. She was coming down the stairs returning to her kitchen. She entered with a scowl on her face as she looked from Lily to her husband.

"She is Euphie. Still, I can't think of any other solution for now. Can you?"

"No. You're right dear. Send Rey. Ask Albus to send word once Lily's parents are notified."

"I'll be seventeen in five weeks. I should be allowed to send my own; it's an emergency, of sorts. But…they've never seen it nor even heard of such a thing as a Patronus so... Thank you...Monte."

"You are most welcome." He sent Rey to Dumbledore and everyone gathered in the kitchen to wait for a reply. The wireless was on so they could hear the weather reports and apparently this was rather a big deal. The north-eastern coast had not received this much snow for seven years. Euphie and Monte were reading the weather section of The Prophet, Mars and Sirius were knitting so James and Lily listened to the wireless. Nila brought them some tea with biscuits and they sat by the kitchen fire, sipping tea and having a biscuit dunking contest. Lily was quite good at biscuit dunking but it seemed a Muggle thing so it was new to James. James took to the competition like a wizard to risk.

"Lily, you can borrow some of my clothes. I can get back to my place through the Gazebos so no worries."

"Thanks Mars. But I have taken a leaf out of James's book. It's still in my cloak, come on, I'll show you." The witches dashed to the mud room, Mars sliding intermittently, Lily copying; it seemed the thing to do on such perfectly seem-less floor. They returned in no time and in the same fashion. In Lily's hand was a little, purple suede bag. She grinned widely..."Undetectable Extension Charm. It contains presents too! Mars will you help me with them once we know my parents know about the weather?"

"Sure. What did you get me?"

"Not until Christmas morning Mars, you know that. I'm not telling!"

Their conversation was interrupted by Dumbledore's Patronus. "Message delivered and received. Then the phoenix Patronus spoke in Lily's mum's voice; 'Enjoy Lily. Send word by your Patronus when you can. Can't wait to see it! Happy Christmas and stay safe!'"

Lily watched the phoenix until it disappeared. "Dumbledore must have told them about my doe. I suppose that with all the powerful magic here I could get away with sending it into a Muggle inhabited area?"

"You most certainly could! Besides these are extreme conditions, like you said and Albus just gave you permission." Euphie said it like she felt the Underage Sorcery Act should not apply in situations like extreme weather. Lily liked her more and more.

With the storm howling outside James decided to show Lily the room she'd sleep in. He took her upstairs, hand in hand and they walked the length of the second floor. "So that's Sirius's room on the left, this one's mine here on the right and yours is just there, right next to mine."

"James will you show me your room next?"

"Of course, I will Lily. Here you are." He opened her door and bowed her in.

The house elves had already been in to light a fire and some candles; both were colored so it must be a Potter thing. It wasn't just an extra or a spare room, it was a proper guest room, it had a balcony and its own bathroom. She tossed her purple bag on a chair and it landed sounding like a cargo hold, making a large dimple on the chair. The bed was a full sized, four poster that was about four feet above the floor, quite high really in a lovely old-fashioned way. It was covered with a handmade quilt that seemed to be made of every fabric that there was in the world.

"These patches are from my clothes from the time I was born. Mum made it. She's very sentimental where I'm concerned. It's funny, I remember loads of these." He ran his hand ran over the different textures in the quilt. When Lily looked more carefully at the thread woven through it she discovered it actually spelled his name in his mum's delicate cursive script.

 _ **James Potter 27th Day of March, 1960**_

"It's lovely James." All of a sudden Lily was overcome; reading his name sewn into these swatches by his mother's hand, for the day of his birth. She felt her throat constrict and boiling, hot tears came before she could stop them. One dropped onto his quilt.

"Lily? What's wrong?" He looked down at her, she was so silent; then he saw the tear fall. "Lily, what's the matter? Did I say something? Is this because you can't be the with your family for Christmas? It's all my fault, I brought you here." He turned her to him and took her face in his hands. "What can I do?"

Just like Dumbledore said... _he can tell when someone's not quite right ... He'd ask if he could help_...

"There's nothing wrong James." She looked into his concerned eyes and tried to blink her tears away. "It's just being here ... this quilt was made by your mother's artistic hands ... she sewed her love for you into this quilt. She loves you so much, everyone loves you so much, all your family's photos and your adorable little library niche. I'm in your home! Sure, it's grand and all but mostly it's your home, a proper home! It's so full of character and joy. Joy and enough love for Sirius to share in, enough for a horde of house elves. It's just a place that I never imagined I'd be." She leaned down now and touched the quilt. All these swatches of fabric were once his clothes. "This quilt, it's on the bed that I will sleep in tonight, a work of art, of the whole of your life."

She turned back to James and buried her face in his chest and breathed the scent of him. She wasn't crying anymore; she wasn't the crying sort. But she was overcome with more emotion here than she'd ever experienced in a single day. She hugged him so fiercely she thought he'd break. This was terrifying. This was it. This was what everything is about ... the magic so often referred to by Dumbledore; when someone matters so much to you that they are worth everything and anything, any risk, any sacrifice, anything at all was worth it, for him. She was absolutely, all encompassing, mind-blowing, heart achingly falling in love with James Potter. She held him like she had never held anyone in her entire life.

James had never been hugged like this by anyone; not even his mum. She held him to her like her life depended on it. His throat constricted suddenly and as he felt his own hot tears threaten he sat on his childhood bed and pulled her to him, tucking his head into her hair and held on for dear life. This was it. This was the reason for everything, the most powerful magic of all. He was totally in love with Lily Evans.

They stayed that way for so long that the light in the room had noticeably changed, the fire was settling down and the candles were a quarter down. Finally, when he knew he had mastered himself he lessened his grip and she looked up at him. He kissed her. It was a kiss not just for the feelings in his heart or the desire in his body or the thoughts of his mind. It was a kiss for all of that. He stood and carried her up with him and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He held her to him so closely that he almost believed they became one. They didn't say anything. Now was not the time. The word love was not enough. Instead, they started laughing, giggling really. She leaned back to look at his face, the face she preferred above all other faces and he spun them around in a slow, smooth circle. Finally, they stopped and he set her down.

"Come on, I'll show you my room."


	15. Chapter Fifteen: Dungeons & Greenhouses

**Chapter 15: Dungeons and Greenhouses**

"James! James bring Lily down here. You can't keep her to yourself."

"I guess I'll have to show you my room later." He looked disappointed.

"No worries James. Remember we're snowed in!" Lily's green, green eyes danced with joy, she grabbed his hand and skipped down the hall, pulling James along, eager to obey Monte's command. _We're snowed in! How perfect._

"So, Lily are you ready to visit my personal sanctuary?" Monte had a gleam in his eyes that reminded her of Professor Slughorn. The brewer's gleam!

"I most certainly am."

"No worries James. I'll have her back in a few hours." He offered Lily his elbow and she willingly took it with a full-on smile to James.

"See you in a bit." She looked like a kid. Well, his dad did too and they were off to Monte's dungeon: a brewer's paradise.

The stone steps to the dungeon led from the side of the kitchen, next to the mud room; they were well lit and well worn. There were lab shoes there and Monte slipped his on and indicated that Lily do the same. They fit perfectly and Lily had a mad memory of the Muggle fairytale, Cinderella. The dungeons at Hogwarts were nearly always a bit dark and chilly but Monty's was not. His laboratory was huge and actually could not be a proper dungeon at all. It had windows! Placed high all around the walls so that natural light actually came in. There was about a foot of snow that rimmed the bottom now but snow was white and so the windows still illuminated the room. Monte watched Lily goggle at windows in a dungeon.

"It was a proper dungeon once but I didn't fancy it that way. Brewing should take place in a well-lit and well-ventilated space and I couldn't abide the damp and the cold so...I modified it to suit me."

Lily turned in a complete circle, her face was glowing. The snow in the windows reflected back the ambient light so her ginger hair was a blaze of color. Her eyes dilated as she took in her surroundings. "It's just perfect!"

In the attitude of secret sharing, Monty nodded and rubbed his palms together, "It is, isn't it!"

Monte showed Lily each section of his space. There was a drying corner for all of Euphie's magical plants and herbs; they hung, bundled lightly with string, upside down. He had glassware that she had never even imagined and he looked pleased that she'd noticed.

"I designed and blew all of them. Each has a unique use, fractionalization for deconstructing and distillation an all sorts. I've designed nearly every piece for special for techniques of my own making; no one else has ever used them." There were transparent pipettes of every size and different colors and she looked to Monte to explain. "Color coding prevents cross contamination, you see?"

There were neatly labeled and dated potions all around the room in shelves and on bench tops in colors that could only be the result of magic. Monte offered Lily a lab cloak which of course was white cotton and she took it from his hands. It was just her size, loose enough for movement, long enough for full coverage and as she tucked her arm in the right sleeve she noticed it was monogrammed with her name in fancy cursive:

 _Lily_

"Monte, Thank you! I adore brewing; it's my favorite subject. I really would to like to make a go of it, I'm an apprentice to Professor Slughorn this year, did you know? I take it from your pictures upstairs that the two of you have enjoyed many hours down here...brewing."

"We have indeed. And with the help of Poppy and Pamona we have created some widely used treatments for several medical conditions; my interest being Dragon Pox. Euphie and I are both afflicted, we contracted it before James came along, it's a wonder we are both still here and that James never contracted it and that is all down to Wik and his hygienic requirements. James was the reason for Wik's Rules. We will have it for our whole lives, no cure yet, but that's no reason to stop trying."

His attitude reminded her of his son! Never a reason to stop trying; never a reason to give up. Lily thought that attitude alone was at the heart of true Potions Master! She and Monte spent the better part of two hours in the laboratory. Finally, James had had enough and came looking for them.

"All right you two, Wik says it's late for lunch but early for dinner so you are to wash up and join us for a bite to tide us over."

"Thinks I'm going to steal you away," Monte whispered to Lily.

"Sorry dad, I didn't quite catch that!" James yelled sarcastically.

"He's a good boy, James. He certainly fancies you Lily but you know must that by now. Why else would you finally be here?"

They returned to the kitchen and Wik got their attention by just waiting. "The Dining Room and the Ball Room are currently undergoing preparation for Christmas dinner so I'm sad to say, this will just have to do." Wik's expression said it was a poor way to treat a guest; eating in the kitchen.

"He's old fashioned, our Wik. Likes things done properly. You'd think after all his years with us he'd just give us up as a bad job but he keeps trying. He'll be in there measuring the placement of every item on the table." Euphie said, looking fondly at the little elderly elf as he left to supervise preparations for the Christmas Feast.

"He's adorable. He's quite the proper Butler...it's a Muggle job very similar to the service Wik provides for you. Can I ask a house elf related question?"

"Please do."

"All the house elves at Hogwarts speak quite differently from yours. Come to think of it they behave differently too. The elves I've met here speak the Queen's English, so to speak. Why is that?"

"Hogwarts is still home to the progeny of the original contingent of elves inherited, from the Founder's time though, you'll likely, never glimpse those elves or hear them speak. We used to see them all the time, house elves I mean, centuries ago, wizards and house elves shared more a magical partnership rather than a master/servant thing. A lot has changed since then. But, Albus takes on disaffected elves when he can; elves that have lost their family to death or those that have been sacked. These elves, especially the sacked ones were often kept in servitude, not permitted to read or travel or speak their own language. Kreacher, Sirius's elf, is treated very poorly by his masters."

"That's generous Euphie, he's treated like vermin! Kreacher is so twisted by them now he wouldn't know kindness if sat naked on his lap. He'd probably be suspicious of it really. He's certainly not my elf, we despise each other. Reg was always Kreacher's favorite." Sirius said all this while frowning deeply at the memory of Kreacher. Euphie placed her hand over his and she gave it a gentle squeeze as Mar looked on affectionately at the two of them. They had rescued her Star-Boy and she loved them all the more for it.

Then, Euphie, leaving her hand gently over Sirius's hand continued. "Elves can speak as well as any magical being but their native tongue has been, shall we say modified, no it's been squashed by wizards over the centuries. What you have heard is the result of years of poor treatment and in many cases neglect or abuse. Elves are expected to speak the language of their family even to each other but many are never taught more than that deemed necessary for service. This is why Albus is determined to take them in. Wik is multilingual actually; taught James to speak ancient Elvish when he was just a boy. Many house elves, due to years of servitude, have lost their own identity as a uniquely magic species and see themselves now as a mere reflection of their masters. They are expected to self-punish when they behave in a manner unapproved of by their masters. It is this that you hear in their manner of speech. We, of course, speak Elvish, many family's do not. It's shameful really."

Lily really liked this woman. She was intelligent, well spoken, spirited and seemed to have strong opinions about important things like The Secrecy Act and the treatment of house elves. She wanted to know her well, spend time with her, alone in her greenhouse and just listen to her. James was her spitting image in ideals and practice. She'd missed so much. These were wonderful people and they had created a wonderful son. Suddenly resentment invaded Lily's mind.

It was Snape, she thought, Snape and his jealous, manipulative, possessiveness of her. Worse, it was Lily; weak, insecure Lily who had allowed it! She felt like a house elf in servitude, twisted into what someone else wanted her to be. She was ashamed of herself for allowing this corruption and for being so stupid that she thought what Snape offered was friendship, that he valued her. He really wanted to own her and at the same time he didn't want anyone to know because she was a Mudblood; she was not natural witch, she was shameful, a freak. It was no different to Petunia's attitude toward her and she only just realized this now. Her stomach boiled with bile and she reached out to drink some water. She could have had an entirely different life but for her insecurity-driven choices. Regret was bitter and waste of time. She would waste no more of her time; it was too precious and it felt infinitely more so here, with James.

"Lily? Hey are you alright?" James whispered just to her and placed his hand over hers exactly as she had just seen his mum do over Sirius's. She'd been lost in thought.

"Sorry. Yes James, I am actually better than fine! I just ... well I think you are very fortunate to have such parents. I like them very much and I was just thinking about what my life might have been like if I had known them, you and them, sooner. That's all."

"Oh. Well you know us now, right? Now is all that matters Lily." He was correct, of course, now was all that mattered, yesterday was done and tomorrow was only a theoretical possibility, given the war and Voldemort and the terrible times they were living in. She would live in the now and she was learning the value of such an approach to life from James and Sirius.

The wireless made a warning sound and everyone quieted, many house elves that Lily had yet to meet silently bustled into the kitchen to listen; one was carrying a kneazle, all were dressed in clean, colorful working togas. Their togas reminded Lily of India. People from India embraced color with more enthusiasm than any culture Lily had yet to discover. Their country was a kaleidoscope of dancing color in their dress and their homes, even their food was colorful. The Potter elves wore togas of vivid color, often mixed with colors that you'd think would clash but these were colors from India and the did not clash but complimented; purples, reds, pinks, lime-greens, yellows, blues; all were neat, and had clearly been clean before their daily work began. These elves carried themselves with dignity and they all had work they valued, with them. One carried a broken clock, another was semi-covered in what looked to be raspberry jam.

"Attention! Attention please! This is an emergency weather announcement! All forms of magical transport on the whole of Scotland's coast, that is from west right through to east and south for one hundred miles have ceased all operation! All forms of travel are currently prohibited! This includes Apparation, the Floo network, Portkeys, brooms, carpets, and charmed vehicles of any and all kinds. This means you, idiots so listen up! Travel is hereby suspended for the next thirty-six to forty-eight hours. Violators risk suspended licenses, jail time and obviously death! From the weather you idiots, not us! You know what we mean, you could die out there so ... stay home! For heaven's sake it's Christmas Eve, what d'ya wanna be traveling for? You should be there already! Tuck in, stay indoors and be safe! Thank you for your attention. We take you back now our musical broadcast."

Sirius laughed his happy, barking laugh apparently refusing to contain his assessment of this news. "So, if no one is out there to catch law breakers because they're too clever to be caught in this storm, who will be catching the idiots who are either less clever or who love danger too much? I'm not saying I'd be caught dead out there but it's just barmy! They should've said, 'Go on out, you trolls, no one will catch you but someone might miss you when you're blown to the Arctic circle or frozen in place!"

Mars looked fondly her Star Boy. "You're ridiculous Sirius! Spot on as always but ridiculous all the same. After we digest wanna duel? Monte, you up for some diverting dueling? I've been kicking his arse lately so he could do with a few pointers from The Master!"

"Pointers? I've been going easy on you Mars!"

"You're barkin' Pads! I've seen your bruises. I reckon she's had you on the mat way too often!"

"Shut it Prongs! That's no way to talk to best mate, in front of the parents!"

"When dad sees you Pads, he'll agree with me! Dueling sounds like a great idea!"

"Well, if you lot start dueling, then I'll have to make a trip to the greenhouse for all the bruising, bleeding and concussions. Lily, would you rather duel or join me in the greenhouse?"

"I would rather join you. Sorry but I'd hate to kick your arses in front of Monte, The Master!"

Lily followed Euphie to the entry way of Potter Manor. On the left side facing the front door was a wall made of the same pink stone as the Manor outside so Lily had thought it was merely an outside wall. Euphie pressed the wall with the palm of her left hand and it dissolved. Now in front of Lily lay a new passageway very similar to the tunnel from their Gazebo. The floor here however was the same fire-baked clay of the kitchen, smooth and glossy under her stockinged feet. Euphie, in her socks entered the passageway so Lily followed. It too, was well lit and warm. It opened into the greenhouse which would be warm even in winter.

"This is my sanctuary Lily. Monte is the Brew Master. Magical plants however fire my imagination." Lily recalled the picture of Euphie and Remus here and she smiled.

"It's just as I expected. Look Lily, the snow outside threatens to bury my precious plants! First, we should collect what we need for the injuries that I've no doubt will result from their fun upstairs and then we will have to tend to all this." They collected fresh Agrimony, Goldenseal, Calendula, Comfrey, Aloe Vera, Murtlap Tentacles, Balm of Gilead, Lobelia and Lady's Mantle and placed them in a wicker basket lined with muslin. Lily got to see a fair bit of the greenhouse in their pursuit of these herbs. It was part of a proper garden. Euphie even had a section for plants that were only known for their beauty.

"Monte believes even just beautiful plants could have hidden properties so I try to grow everything I can lay my hands on. I would dearly love to cultivate some that are not that easily found but I have Pamona, Poppy and Horace helping me locate a vendor."

The greenhouse variety was impressive and she could picture Euphie, Monte, Madam Pomfrey, Professors Sprout and Slughorn in here easily. Theorizing, enjoying some unique herb infused wine or meade of Monte's making, there would be sun shining through the glass onto this riot of color; the witches in summer frocks protected with gardening aprons, covered in earth; all barefoot. It was a very inviting picture and Lily hoped that in future she could take her place among them.

"Now, what do you suggest? We need to clear this snow. Heating charms or banishing charms? Wingardium Leveosa might be a hoot!"

Lily walked closer to the glass. It was true, the snow was several feet above the bottom of the glass and it would block much of the light if it rose much higher. Admittedly there was little useful visible light right now anyway but it was a greenhouse not a snow cave and plants used a variety of wavelengths the human eye could not.

"I dunno but I'd love to try to levitate snow!"

Euphie had the same reckless gleam in her eyes that James got whenever he described a Marauder prank. It was hereditary. So, the witches began, side by side levitating the snow away from the glass walls of Euphie's greenhouse. It was riotous work and there were several failures so they did a fair bit of laughing and starting over. They chose the eastern side to clear first; it was logical and planned on clearing the western side next. It took several attempts to discover how to best use both witches magic but it turned out when they combined their magic it more effective than the two of them working side by side which mostly just caused vortexes in the snow, blowing it around in horizontal tubes.

Once they had a handle on what they were doing Euphie struck up a conversation. "So, you are the witch who has been breaking James's heart for years. Please don't misunderstand me; I do know what a prat he was. He acts like that when he's out of his depth! I assume that he is improving or you would not be here. He is becoming a good man Lily; for you. His adolescent angst was trying but Monty and I figured he'd either sort himself out and become a desirable wizard or not. I do hope your presence here, with us means that he is growing up?"

"Your son is the most desirable wizard I know Euphie!" Lily blushed deeply the color rising from her collar bones to the roots of her hair. Her face was so hot... she had said too much.

Euphie noted the coloring of Lily's face but spoke to ease Lily's apparent feeling of exposure. "Monte was just the same! What is it about Potter men? I have loved Monte for the better part of half a century and he still fascinates and surprises me. I know how James feels about you Lily because the way he looks at you, it's exactly the same as the way Monte looks at me. And now I also know how you feel about James. Not to worry, you two take your time but don't take too long. We are at war Lily. None of our futures are guaranteed."

"Mum! Oi, Mum! What are you two doing?" James burst in and looked confused when he saw what they were up to. He was sweaty, bleeding in a few places and his hair was beyond help; he'd obviously been dueling and by the looks of him, he'd lost a time or two. "Why didn't you ask us for help? Look at the two of you!" Euphie gave her son a maternal scowl so he changed his tone. "Well, maybe you didn't need help exactly but more wands will get this done sooner though, you do look like you're having a grand time!" James hurried to them in order to stop shouting and to lend a wand. Lily and his mum; a pair of happy, mad witches. "So, more wands or do you want to be here until New Years?"

"No need to be clever with your mum James. Sure, many wands make light work."

It was the work of half an hour when they were joined by James, Monte, Sirius, Mars and the house elves. The elves were particularly efficient and Lily could tell that they all felt that this was elf, not wizard work. She enjoyed watching elf magic because they didn't need wands! But, just as James said, these elves indulged their family and allowed them to carry on. Euphie was having too much fun, making snow dance and more a mess than measurable progress but the elves secretly assisted; as a team, the rising snow level was brought to well below the glass.

"If this keeps up maybe we should place a shield charm over the whole structure." Mars offered.

"You're right Mars, of course!" Euphie looked fondly at the lone McKinnon witch, and they proceeded to create a shield as Mars suggested.

Once the shield was in place, everyone was sweaty and tired. "I will tend to all these injuries and then, showers, I think for all of you.

"I think perhaps some quiet time before dinner is advisable as well." Wik commanded. He did boss them around but they seemed to love him for it. They came up from the subterranean passage way and in the kitchen, Euphie did tend to their injuries. Then as if on que, the rose, left the kitchen and just kept going up the stairs. Euphie and Monte took a left while James, Lily, Mars and Sirius took a right.

"Lily can I borrow your shower when you're done?"

"It's not my shower Mars. But of course, you can. I'd love your company."

"When you're done come to my room and we'll chill for a bit, K?" James asked.

"Sounds like a plan James. See you in a bit."

The minute that they were inside and the door was shut, Mars was on Lily like bees on honey. "So, Lily, what do you think? Aren't they sweet? I told you James was awesome!"

Lily turned to face Mars and just stood there shaking her head, her face was hot again, on fire really and she held it with her hands. "I was an idiot! He's amazing! Mars! Oh my … I do fancy him!"

"I knew you would once you stopped shouting at him and hiding behind Snivellus! We all knew Lily, except you. Well, James probably didn't. Probably even now I doubt if he knows much, ya know? He's dead chuffed that you're here though! He does know he fancies you and he always believed that you were the only witch for him." She looked at Lily and she looked lost and found at the same time. Lost because it was a lot to take in and found because deep down Mars knew that Lily knew that it was true. She did fancy James.

"Get in that shower witch! There's hot wizards next door and they will be waiting!" Mars sounded like Wik and Lily hastened to obey. Showered and dressed they went to James's room as promised and Lily knocked on the door.

"We're more than decent!" bellowed Sirius.

Mars and Lily shook their heads at Sirius's feigned arrogance and Lily opened the door to James's room. Aside from its size, the quality and age of his furnishings ... it was normal, well, mostly normal for a wealthy wizard. Then again, Lily had never been in a wizard's bedroom so what did she know! His walls were covered with Quidditch posters and his favorite musicians and photos of his friends haphazardly affixed to every possible surface; just like a Muggle teen-ager. He did have a fireplace full of multicolored fire so not ordinary. It was pretty neat and orderly though whether this was due to James or his elves, she couldn't say. He had a balcony with French doors and she looked out to see that darkness was falling; the snow had not let up. His bed was made but it was clear it had been piled on. Sirius sat in a miniature rocking chair that Lily thought must have been James's, when he was little. He was on one side of a small table while James lay on his bed on the other; they were playing chess.

"Blimey Prongs, make your move already! Hello ladies! Join us." He patted his thigh and winked at Mars. "Jamie needs all the help he can get." Mars plopped on the floor next to Sirius leaning her head on his knee. Her wet hair, all several feet of it, fell to the floor. She used the ends to tickle his toes and Sirius evidently enjoyed the sensation.

"Don't call me Jamie Sirius! Seriously! You know I hate it!"

"I do." Said Sirius looking satisfied that he'd annoyed James.

Lily walked around behind the match to James's side of the board. She sat on his bed and flushed again, from chest to hairline but as they were all attentive to the match, no one noticed. The scent of James filled this room and her brain flooded her body with lust and her heart expanded; she could scarcely breathe. She braved a look at James's profile and noted the healing salve, his dueling injuries much improved, then, recalled that Mars had been injury free. _Yay Mars!_ She wasn't much good at chess but even she could see that Sirius had taken the most pieces. She giggled. "Where's the Quidditch strategy, Captain James? I reckon it's game-over."

"Thanks Lily for the support and encouragement." James scrubbed his face with his hands and gave his mad hair a good thrashing. Uncharacteristically, he was losing quite spectacularly. He didn't always win against Sirius but he hadn't played this poorly for years. It was embarrassing, really.

"James, you're past both. I have a better idea. Let's go down and you can play the piano and these two can sing. Whadayasay?" Lily asked hopefully.

"Perhaps, James, your distracted? Mind's not on the game?" Sirius teased.

"Bugger off Pads!" James retorted, not at all keen to allow this conversation to go that direction. Still, Sirius was right. He was distracted.

"Fine. Finish me Sirius. What else could I do?" Sirius took the time to instruct his pieces to make all the moves he had left and what Sirius would do to thwart him. In typically violent fashion, Sirius's pieces blasted through each series of moves that James had missed and how they lead him to failure. James's pieces lay in a broken heap complaining vociferously. Satisfied that he'd gotten everything out of this game possible, he rolled onto his back and launched himself off his bed. Lily colored from her chest to her forehead and James smiled. _Distracted indeed._

Lily felt desperately exposed in that moment. He'd launched himself off his bed in that totally masculine way that only blokes could. But then, she reigned her insecurities in and simply allowed the moment to play our, watching him. She was among friends after all. Just watching him made Lily sore and warm at the same time.

"Come on. Let's go dazzle Lily here with our talent!" He nodded her way, stuffed his hands deep into his pockets and tried to look modest.

Sirius rose from the little rocking chair and grabbed Mars by the hand, pulled her up from the floor, spun her around, got slapped by all that wet hair and frog marched her out of the room and down the hall. Lily and James followed.

When they entered the Ballroom, there was a colored fire blazing in the grate along with hundreds of floating candles, just like in the Great Hall. James approached his piano, opened the seat to find the music he wanted, showed it to Sirius and Mars, they conferred for a bit, selected a couple of others. Once satisfied, he closed the seat and sat at his piano. He lifted the lid and asked, "Wik, when was the fire started?"

"Only a quarter of an hour ago Master James. I could bring some of Master Monte's wine in for you to enjoy while you wait."

"Smashing idea Wik!" Sirius barked. "Good to loosen the vocal chords..." Wik gave Sirius a parental look as if to say 'a likely story' but hastened to bring them wine.

Lily sat near the fire enjoying the complex mix flavors Monte created in this batch of red wine. She was listening intently to Sirius and Mars warm up. James watched her face as she listened. It was obvious that Mars had kept this particular gift of hers, quiet, even from Lily. Lily's mouth formed a perfect O and she shook her head.

"You can know someone for years and discover you don't really know them at all! How did you manage to keep this from me?" Lily exclaimed.

"I faked it. Not to keep it from you Lily but to keep it from everyone. I'm...we're not much for being the entertainment is all." She indicated herself and Sirius. "James too. If Flitwick had his way, the two of us would be caterwauling for the whole school; it's just no fun like that. Here or at my place it's just friends getting together to share a bit of fun. And Slughorn would be a nightmare begging Sirius and James to join Slugclub! Can you even picture that! If you noticed the pictures in The Study? There aren't any of us doing this at big social parties and the like. It's just all too showy."

"So, I think she's warm." James ran his fingers through some chords and scales to check the strings. "Lily, sit by me." James patted his bench encouragingly. "I can play with you here, honestly."

Lily took a seat next to James. He slid her his way to close the space between them, their thighs touching. His hands, his fingers warmed up along with the keys. It was seduction, watching his hands, his fingers: their reach wide, his touch certain. James was relaxed and his breathing became slow and even, his spine straight, arms loose at his side in a perfect right angle to his body, parallel with the keyboard. He's head was bowed just a bit to see the music in front of him. His eyes focused and calm. The first piece he chose was a hymn Lily heard on the Muggle radio by an artist named Cat Stevens; it was called Morning Has Broken. _Had he heard her and Mary singing this through the door in Gryffindor Tower? Talk about caterwauling. Did he know that it was one of Lily's favorite pieces of music?_

None of them came off with falsely modest excuses for having not done this together for months, they three were genuinely unpretentious and just got on with it. Lily listened to James as he played the opening. She couldn't breathe! He was perfect. Then Sirius and Mars began to sing. Lily was stunned! Their voices; they were the perfect complement, to each other. It was harmony and melody like she had only ever heard once before; Simon and Garfunkel. The vocals of these Muggle musicians (maybe they weren't Muggles at all), the blend of their voices was unique in the same way as Mars and Sirius.

They did not appear nervous or even self-aware. They just sang together; for each other and James accompanied their voices. She watched their faces looking only at one another and in that moment, she understood. They were in love. This was why they didn't want to entertain people ... this was private. James had to have known all along. No wonder he said that there had never been anyone else for Sirius but Mars.

She tore her eyes away from the pair of them, as she felt a bit invasive and

watched James. He really was perfect. He knew that she was watching him and somehow, instead of becoming nervous or showy as she had once expected he might, he remained at ease, in his element and let the music flow between himself and his piano. The piano was his instrument but the way he played this piece was all James. He owned this! He was completely focused on self-expression, interpreting the music and it was unlike anything Lily ever heard. It was as if the music was pouring out of him through his piano. How could someone so brilliant, so gifted also be so humble, so easy to be with, so uncomplicated and real?

She was overcome once more and unconsciously put her hands to her face and noted how hot it was. James leaned her way, playing all the while, just enough for his arm to touch hers; like a hug. This was a very intimate moment in such a simple gesture. So much was being communicated here that Lily had to close her eyes to keep her tears at bay. She let the music fill her up and she felt her heart expand.

Now, it was James's, Sirius's and Mar's turn to watch. Lily needed this, Lily needed them. She was desperately in need of a place to be completely at ease with who she was without explanation, defense or self-consciousness; even if she hadn't known it until she was here, they knew. She was a witch. She had her own magic. She belonged with them. They only watched her for a little while and then gave her the privacy that they knew she had shown them.

When they finished the piece, Lily opened her eyes again. They were over-bright but no tears fell. James's parents joined them; their timing was matchless. They didn't make a fuss, just found a cozy place to sit together and waited for the next selection, oddly another Muggle piece called A Bridge Over Troubled Water. There was music and then there was music. This was the latter. This was what people meant when they would say that a piece of music had moved them to tears. It told a story. Soon the house elves filtered quietly into the room and took up spaces together on the couch and on the floor in front of the colored fire. The kneazle family came in too and curled up on a spot of rug nudging the elves out of their way in front of the fire; apparently this was their spot. The only sounds in the room were the voices of Mars and Sirius and James, playing his piano.

After an instant or a lifetime Wik rang the gong and startled everyone out of wherever their minds had been. Lily had wanted that moment to last forever! Still, she smiled and laughed in spite of herself. Wik was indeed The Butler and the gong meant it was dinner time. Led by James, Lily entered The Dining Room. It was an exquisite room with a crystal chandelier that floated freely over the bounty they are to share here tonight, the table set to the inch. Wik was a perfectionist.

Monty place was located at the center of the table. He approached it but remained standing while the rest were seated. "We are blessed, with good food, the best company and we are eternally grateful." Everyone raised their glass and then Monty sat and they drank to his offering.

Among the crystal and silver, lace and linen, it was still just like any Christmas dinner, a family together around the table to share in the gifts of the earth. It was full of laughter, good food and people who loved each other. New stains of gravy dribbles and red wine on the Christmas table cloth marked the day. Piano music serenaded their meal. James winked at Lily and then explained.

"Wik's other naughty pleasure."

There were second helpings and stories shared. Lily heard some as tales of The Potter's summer time adventures and she listened attentively remembering the pictures she'd seen in The Study. She loved nothing more than a well-told story. Monte was a masterful story-teller. It was beautiful and relaxed and delicious.

"All this came from our land Lily." James said pointing his fork around the table.

"Really?"

"Really. We could be snowed in here for months and eat like this. We have free range livestock and birds and both my parents shoot though mum is the better shot. I know it seems like a Muggle thing but it's not like wizards can create food! The first of the five Principal Exceptions to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration."

"Show-off." Lily said this completely differently than she would have a year ago. It was spoken with affection and pride rather than contempt.

James just smiled at her tone and nodded in recognition of the truth. Maybe he was showing off a bit, nonetheless it was still a statement of fact so he continued.

"All the fruit and veggies came from mum's greenhouse and the summer garden. We can both and make preserves, Nila taught us, and, of course it's great fun. Sirius loves canning season! I love it when Nila goes all McGonagall on us! We dry our grain and make flour; you should see my hair then! The whole _living off the land_ deal. My parents are devoted to it. It's a lot of work but our house elves make it possible. We have seventeen for a reason. Most wizards can't be bothered with it all but my family has done this for, well... forever."

"What a wonderful way to live James."

"You have to see the place in summer. My dad keeps bees and it's great here, in the summer. You taste his honey in the wine? It's weird, since Hogwarts, I'm never here for the harvest or the births in the spring. I miss it. When school is done and this stupid war is won; I'd like to live here, just like my parents have done. Have a horde of kids and farm and shoot and read and maybe compose some music, take great summer family trips and have adventures … with you. Just live and be happy, together."

Lily was speechless again and she felt her face heat up, her throat constricted and she closed her eyes but only for a moment. Yet, in that moment of time, Lily decided that she would do this with James. Live here with him and give him his horde of kids. Brew with his dad, learn bee keeping and work with Euphie in her greenhouse, maybe even shoot. It would be the perfect life. Mars and Sirius would live together, just over the hill with their own horde. They could walk along the coast, hand in hand, raise their family's and make a lifetime of memories. They would fill another wall in the study with pictures of their shared lives. By the time that they ate their way to the Christmas pudding Lily didn't know where she'd put it all but she managed somehow and then dinner was done.

They went through the to The Great Room. Wik had been busy in here too. The tree was a blaze and the fire was roaring. They had after dinner drinks in tiny little glasses but Monte assured her that these were digestives, they were very strong and aromatically pungent.

"It's Grappa Lily. An Italian, grape-based pomace brandy. A tiny bit goes a long way. Aids in digestion, see. The fumes alone are digestive, it's aromatic and delicious but that tiny glass in exactly enough. Its point isn't to get you pissed but to aid in the digestion of a heavy meal, like the one we just enjoyed. Enjoy it! I'm certain the Italians who first created it were in fact, wizards."

"If you say it is a digestive Monte then I believe you." Lily took the tiniest sip The, whole of her nasal and sinuses senses responded. "It is delicious Monte!"

Lily thought that just breathing in the fumes from this Grappa would do the trick but Monte Potter was a wizard to be trusted so she followed his advice. She allowed herself to enjoy everything; there was so much here to enjoy, so much life and laughter, the eccentric and simple lives of the Potter's and those they loved. Everyone sat around the tree, guessing at what they'd find in the morning. Lily sent her Patronus to her parents with all her love and Happy Christmas! This holiday had turned out most unexpectedly. She missed them, her mother and father but she was completely content here. She'd never, in her whole life, felt completely content. James showed Lily every single ornament and explained the history of each. Euphie joined them on the floor, described her inspiration and Monty indulged in his own stories of discovery in glass blowing. Sirius had his own ornament as did Mars, and every house elf had one though Wik's was the largest. Lily hadn't thought about the time even once. Eventually, James's parents claimed that it was passed their bedtime and left the young to their own devices.

"Oh, go on Prongs. Now's the time."

"You sure?" James blushed, his dimples showing, reached for his hair and licked his lips. He he looked to Sirius for reassurance. Sirius nodded and that seemed confirmation enough. "Wik! Bring the kneazles in, will you?"

"Yes, Master James."

"Yay! Kneazles!" Lily giggled like a child. Wik returned with the kneazle family in tow and they all came over to explore this new entity called Lily. She lay down on the floor; being inspected by kneazles was very exciting, she'd always loved kneazles, much like many youngsters who had a favorite animal. Dogs seemed favored by Muggles world-wide but Lily had always been a cat person. That was, until she came to Hogwarts and read about kneazles. Currently she was surrounded by them; they walked over her, around her, eyed her with curiosity, all the while their mum eyed her with maternal scrutiny. Lily felt a presence in this mum, not unlike Professor McGonagall so Lily behaved like she would naturally, in the presence of her keen-eyed professor; with respect, admiration and honesty.

They were just five months old and kneazles had a long life-span so at five months these were just babies. With their mum close at hand, the kittens explored away and Lily was in heaven. One of her kittens, a male, was particularly taken with Lily. He was a gorgeous long hair that reminded Lily of a cat breed called the Norwegian Forest Cat. His fur was swaths and patches of gold, tan, black and brown all over his mostly white body. He had a beautiful white face with freckle-like fur across his sweet black nose which was framed by multicolored fur all the way to his ears. He had bright green eyes and they were studying Lily's green eyes like he thought she might really be a kneazle in disguise. Then he climbed onto her chest and rubbed his face all over Lily's face and then, settled into a comfy crouch and he began to purr.

Lily sat up slowly and the little guy hung on using his claws intelligently, they pierced her clothes but stopped short of her skin then merely repositioned himself on her body so she could hold him in her arms and inspect him. She began to touch his exquisite fur and his sensitive ears, all of which he permitted, then his little nose and huge paws; his toes had downy fur between them. He allowed her to touch him wherever she liked.

"I'd say you've been chosen Lily. The kneazle chooses the witch." Mars said sagely, "Just like wands."

"Happy Christmas Lily. He's from all of us and his mum but mostly he's from me." James looked at her, his eyes searching hers. _Did he do alright? Was it OK? She always wanted a kneazle, right? She'd said so._ He waited and pushed his glasses further up his lovely nose to see her properly, gauge her reaction.

"Oh James! Thank you!" She leaned toward James and with her new kneazle sandwiched between them, she kissed him right there in front of Mars and Sirius. "I've always wanted a kneazle!" Then, her face dropped but he had anticipated this.

"It's fine. Dumbledore has approved it and McGonagall encouraged me to give you one. She's equally very fond of kneazles. You can bring him with you back to school. Mind, he doesn't deliver the post but none of us are perfect."

"Oh my! He is perfect; the best present ever! I could kiss you!"

"Flower, you already did. Don't be shy! We won't watch!"

Lily set the kitten down and launched herself onto James, removed his glasses and kissed him all over his face until he blushed. "So, all these years...all it would have taken was a kneazle?" James asked.

They stayed in front of the tree until well past midnight, playing with the kneazles and just being together, the four of them without the need to study or plot, look over their shoulder or worry. It was the most relaxed that Lily had been in as long as she could remember. Wik came in occasionally to check their digestives and tend to the fire.

"Well, all, I'm knackered so I think I'll escort Miss Marlene home. Come on love, a midnight stroll through tunnels and a risky gazebo dash. Whatdayasay?"

"I hope the gazebo isn't buried, Sirius. Then again, staying here wouldn't be so bad." Mars nudged Sirius's shoulder and he winked at her.

"We could lie and say that we couldn't get through." Sirius suggested.

"Well, let's go see. Maybe it won't be a lie." They left James and Lily alone under the tree with the her kneazle.

"I love Christmas trees. I like to just stare at the colored lights until they all blur. Did ya know that if you do that, stare at them through a really thin slit, like between your eyelashes when your eyes a scrunched nearly closed, you can almost see the component colors of each little golden light? You can see a spectrum at least, maybe it's my glasses but I like to think of it as the secret inner workings of nature."

"I do know that. I do it every year after my parents go to bed. Tuny used to do it with me when we were little."

"Do you miss her?"

"No. I really don't James. Does that make me a terrible person? Everything with her is always such a big deal; it's just exhausting! Besides, I'm a freak, remember?"

"No Lily. You're not a freak and you're not a terrible person. Petunia may not be either but she is terrible to you. Honestly, I can't imagine why you'd miss her. Sirius doesn't miss his family and they seem a lot like Petunia."

"We can't get through!" Mars and Sirius burst back into the room, wet and giggling. "The entire gazebo is one giant snow drift. I should have thought of this when we were in the greenhouse! The shield idea was mine and it never dawned on me to do the same to the gazebo! Sent my mare to my parents so they know I'm staying here. I thought we were intelligent!"

"I bet Wik has had your room prepared just in case Mars, no worries."

"I'm sure he has. Sometimes I think Wik has second-sight. Well, we're off. Good night. Oh, and Happy Christmas Lily!" She bent over to kiss James on the top of his head and then Lily too.

"You'll excuse me James if I don't kiss you." He did kiss Lily on the top of her head and abused James's hair. "Behave, you two."

Lily and James lay there on the floor for quite a long while sharing childhood memories of Christmas's past. The tree began to dim, the fairies must be tired. They fell asleep right there on the floor. Lily woke, not with a start but gently and turned to see James's sleeping face. What a gift! To catch him sleeping; he was so beautiful and his face was fully relaxed. Then he rolled over and pulled her into a sleeping hug and she sunk in to his arms. At some time later, Lily woke again and they were covered in a blanket. She looked to see if James was still sleeping but she was caught by his hazel eyes; looking at her sleeping face. Her kneazle walked right between their faces and nudged hers. Reluctantly she stirred and sat up.

"I suppose it's time. I've had the most wonderful day James! I am so glad you invited me...it's my best Christmas ever!"

"I'm glad Lily. A new tradition, eh? Christmas at The Potter's!" He led her up the spiral stairs, hand in hand, Lily's kneazle in tow.


	16. Ch Sixteen: Christmas With The Potter's

**Chapter 16 Christmas, With The Potter's**

When James woke on Christmas morning he was snuggling his pillow and smiling. Lily's here! He rolled onto his back, put his hands behind his head and looked at his blurry ceiling. Lily was here, they were snow bound and it was Christmas. He couldn't have planned this even in his most inspired state. He reflected on yesterday ... it was an outstanding day. She was pleased her kneazle! She sat with him while he played his piano. She'd kissed him in front of Mars and Pads. She was next door right now, underneath his quilt ... in the bed that had been his when he was small. He could picture her sleeping there, her brilliant green eyes closed, her ginger hair messy just like his was now ... well maybe not just like his but messy. Her lips closed. He felt himself warming at the thought of Lily in his bed and attempted to redirect his thoughts.

She had been at ease with his eccentric family in his overly-grand home for a whole day. His dad finally got to show her his lab, she battled snow drifts with his mum and she wanted him to tell her about his life, nestled together in his niche. It must be strange for Lily to live in two worlds. She was so powerfully magical he couldn't figure how she reigned it all in when she was stuck in the Muggle world. Well, if he had anything to say about it she would live here with him. Honestly, he thought his say might actually mean something to her now. She was wasted in the Muggle world!

Life was amazing! How had they actually made it to here from where they were this time last year? It seemed that last year, they never understood one another and spent most of their time fighting. Fighting about what though? They shared so little then, it was hard to recall what they could have possibly had to disagree about. Last year was just full of confusion and frustration … maybe that was why they fought … both feeling confused and frustrated. Well they weren't confused now, though, there was frustration but it was a new and delightful frustration; James loved the feel of it!

He allowed himself to visualize Lily. Her freckled nose and delicate hands. Her sweet pink lips and her inquisitive tongue. The way her whole chest flushed when his presence unsettled her. He loved that he unsettled her! She was a delightfully unsettling witch. He was becoming aroused but that wasn't really where he wanted to go just now, here, alone in his bedroom with her just next door. He would rather save this for when they were actually together and quite by themselves. He needed a plan. Maybe the Room of Requirement would be suitable? Surely the room would safeguard them for something so private. Having landed on a possible future course of action, he smiled with his whole face, put his glasses on and launched himself out of bed. It was Christmas after all!

Lily woke on Christmas morning snuggling James's quilt and smiling. She was sleeping in his childhood bed, in his home and he was right next door! He might be naked under his blankets and she could easily imagine the curve of his neck, his shoulders would be relaxed, she could imagine how warm his skin would feel and his scent rose in her mind creating a lovely frustrated arousal. It didn't matter that he wasn't here, he filled her brain. She could picture running her fingers along the length if his spine down to where it met his firm round butt. Lily found herself warming in very private places, her breathing accelerated as she visualized his hazel eyes dilating just for her. Her hands imagined exploring his skin while she could just look and look at him, at James. What was she thinking? He was right next door and she was in here imagining him naked! She was hopeless! Still...he was a delightfully unsettling wizard. But thoughts like these wouldn't do, here, in his parent's home.

She sat up in bed, needing some air! She redirected her mind. He played his piano for her. That memory brought her right back to his hands on the keys. Arghh! She tried another memory. He had lived a huge life, the likes of which she had only found in books; books of fiction. He was genuine, brilliant, kind and thoughtful. How is it that she had always been furious at him before? What had they to row about then? He gave her a kneazle. How could he be the person that she spent so many years yelling at? He was perfect! He never gave up, in spite of how hard she fought, he remained steadfast in his belief that she was worth his time. He was, without a doubt, worth her time! He was right next door!

It was Christmas morning, she was snowbound here, she looked around and found her kitten was curled on her pillow. She nuzzled his face with hers and he began to purr. Lily climbed out of bed and went to her window to see what the weather was like. It was still snowing but she could see through it today, out to the snow-covered property that belonged to James. It was time to get up, stop thinking naughty thoughts, drink some coffee and give gifts to all these wonderful people!

There was a light knock on her door. "Lily? Lily wake up! It's Christmas!" James pleaded through her door. She flushed at her earlier train of thought and wasted no time. She opened it to see his beautiful face. "Come on, there's presents!"

"Wait! My kneazle!" She hurried to the bed, scooped the little fur-ball into one arm and let James keep hold of the hand on her other. Bed headed and in her pajamas, James pulled her along; he was practically skipping down the hall. He banged on Sirius's door and yelled "Wake up Pads! It's Christmas! Then he banged on Mar's door and yelled "Wake up Mars! It's Christmas! He was just about to repeat this wake-up call when his parent's door opened and his mum and dad said in unison "We know James! It's Christmas!"

With Lily in tow he skipped down the stairway and headed for The Great Room and The Christmas Tree!

"He can be such a child!" Mars whispered and tucked herself in closer to Sirius. They were both naked and had slept together in her room where it was less likely that James would just barge in. Lily would of course knock and wait to be invited in. They had just slept. Well not only slept ... they canoodled well into the wee hours. That delicious ache returned and the heat. Now was not the time to recall last night or they would never get out of bed and James would surely come up to investigate! She looked at her Star Boy. He was the most beautiful wizard she had ever seen and she treasured him. He past was very complicated but his needs were quite simple; he needed her. He was a deliciously unsettling wizard, her Sirius. She kissed his neck and whispered "Wake up Star Boy, it's Christmas!"

"Naw Mars, Christmas was last night. You were so delicious! I could just eat you up! But, maybe not just now; I heard the big child banging on all the doors. Give me a minute here and I'll leave first. You make me feel very reckless Mars." He nuzzled her neck and purred. "Last night, ... well, we have to do that more often. The Room of Requirement will be repurposed just for our needs, K?"

Eventually, Sirius lumbered out of Mars' bed, pulled on his pajamas and peeked out her bedroom door. Mars had thought of everything and the PJ's were crucial. The coast was clear. He tip-toed to his door and opened and shut it. Misdirection. Mars in her pajamas as well opened her door normally now.

"Good morning Sirius," she said. "Happy Christmas!" Then, hand in hand they walked to the Great Room where James, the big child, would likely be panting with excitement!

Euphie and Monte woke on Christmas morning in their usual way; snuggling. They practically skipped up the stairs last night and the instant the door was closed they recreated like adults. It was remarkable that they were still in love after so many years. The Potter's were quite amazed they'd only had James. But then again, when something was perfectly done the first time there was no repeating it. They'd never wanted more children after they had been blessed with their beautiful baby boy. They were perfectly content with James and thankful that they were alive and healthy enough to watch their son fall in love.

"Monte?"

"Euphie?"

"Did you notice the corporeal form of Lily's Patronus?"

"I did."

"Just checking. Do you think it means anything?"

"Do you?"

"Yes. I do."

"Me too"

Next thing they knew they could hear James knocking on Lily's door. "I 'spect that's our que love. Wanna scare him?"

"Of course!" With dressing gowns on and socks on their feet they waited by their bedroom door, listening for the sound of James skipping their way.

"Now!" They whispered simultaneously, opening their door just before James could knock. "We know James! It's Christmas!"

Christmas was the only day of the year that Wik would permit his family to serve themselves. Still, he insisted on preparing the Great Room, lighting the fire and coaxing the tree fairies into lighting up the tree. He placed the tea, coffee and nibbles on the table and adjusted the seating so that the tree, the snow and the fire were in view. Leave it to Master James to be as excited, on the brink of manhood, as he was when he was five. Wik loved Master James. Well treated house elves generally, were deeply fond of their family but he doubted that many elves understood what it meant to love them. James was irrepressible, caring and kind and Wik cared as much for him as he did for his own family. And Master James was in love. He was like a puppy concerning Miss Lily. Wik was certain this ginger witch, was the one for Master James and after yesterday Wik was satisfied that their union would be as it should. With a satisfied smile Wik left the Great Room just as James came barreling down the stairs.

Everyone was in their pajamas with stocking feet except for Sirius who was predictably, barefoot. They helped themselves to coffee or tea wanting to be fully awake when the presents were opened. Mars sent her mare home letting her family know she would be home as soon as she could get through the gazebos. Lily conjured her doe following Mars' example so James did the same. Before they sped off together, with Christmas greetings to Lily's parents, the stag and doe nuzzled each other; both of their owner's blushed. Lily noticed that James's parents looked fondly at this open display of affection.

It seemed that this Patronus messaging was a Potter Christmas tradition with Patronuses going to and returning from all the people in their lives. Eventually the Patronus traffic died down and Wik made his debut broom entry. He was giggling! Lily had never seen a house elf giggle or fly on a broom. He was priceless, Wik. Soon all of the elves made their way to the Great Room and present opening began.

The gifts were nothing like those Muggles gave. They weren't given to impress, they weren't the most expensive model of this or the best deal on that or the latest craze to hit the market. They were mostly practical, useful and many were homemade. Of course, with wizard's like the Potter's even practical gifts were extraordinary. Monte gifted Lily with a specially blown Potions Kit complete with color coded pipettes and vials. Euphie made Lily a 'Lily inspired' set of jewelry; earrings, necklace and bracelet with blown glass to match her coloring. Mars knit Lily a pair of socks with 'Potter' woven on the bottom of one and 'Manor' woven into the bottom of the other. Sirius presented Lily with her very own Potter Christmas tree ornament. It featured a little ginger witch holding hands with a tall, messy, black haired, spectacled wizard; Sirius had drawn it himself. Lily felt much better about her own gifts to them. She didn't have a lot of gold to spend but she did have a bit. She gave Monte a hand crafted wooden vial holder for his lab. It was, complete with:

From Lily Christmas 1976

For Euphie, she chose to give seeds from a variety of magical plants that she knew Euphie didn't have thanks to her informant, Professor Sprout! They came in a

hand-made seed tray with the same label on the bottom as she had charmed on Monte's. For the house elves, she gave them each a Gryffindor Tea Towel with Potter Manor embroidered on the back; to be worn in the traditional toga fashion. She owed the Hogwarts house elves for these. For Mars and Sirius, she had knit a scarf for each of them. Sirius's was detailed with the planet Mars and Mar's was detailed with the Star Sirius. Lily charmed them to spin only when Mars and Sirius were together.

Lily broke tradition and gave James a pocket watch. He was always asking Remus the time and though it was traditionally given when a wizard came of age, Lily couldn't resist. It was one of a kind and hand made by made by the proprietor of the little shop. It was a very intricate time-piece. The face of it was a miniature model of the solar system with a tiny ruby that moved. It would relocate anywhere on the earth James's location happened to be. Now it reminded her of the Marauder's Map; the little ruby. Lily charmed the ruby with a little speech bubble that would show James the time in her handwriting.

He opened it and was absolutely, quiet. He picked it up with he's fingers and held it. He turned it over and found:

To J.P. With love, L.E. Christmas 1976.

James reached out to Lily, pulled her into a hug and kissed her neck whispering, "I dunno what to say. Thank you, Lily. I love it. I never know the time. Remus will love it too!" After he let her go, it was passed around for inspection he slipped the chain through his PJ loops and tucked it safely it into his PJ pocket. Lily looked to Euphie and Monte almost apologetically for giving their son a gift, traditionally given by parents on a seventeenth birthday but they gave Lily a reassuring nod; it was an awfully good gift and it seemed they approved.

Morning soon became afternoon and they were all still in their pajamas. They nibbled left-overs from last night's dinner. They were very lazy and spent most of the day in pursuit of lazy activities. The wireless was tuned to receive hourly weather updates in between the traditional wizarding Christmas tunes and the Magimeteorologists had a lot to say about the current snow event. Snow levels were expected to continue to rise but more slowly. Temperatures were expected to remain at the lower extreme range for snow for the next twelve hours followed by an even colder air mass that would likely result in a serious wind event. The snow total so far was seven Merlins, named for the length of the wand of the great wizard or sixty inches in Muggle. All forms of travel remained suspended for at least the next twelve hours and likely the next twenty-four. Lily was glad she wouldn't be going home yet.

James showed Lily the Aviary and introduced her to all the Potter's birds. She received a particularly warm welcome from Mighty and he insisted on a head scratch. They spent a long while in the library, in James's niche. James felt comfortable enough with Lily now to regale her with more stories of his past, with his family, with the Marauders. Lily was enchanted by his story-telling; he took after his dad in this and she loved nothing more than a well-told story. This far north nightfall came very early. Everyone was worn out from the excitement of the day.

James and Lily fell asleep on the couch in the library while Sirius and Mars were found in the exact same state in the Great Room. It was a comfortable and easy day. Mar's family were as unusual in their own way as the Potter's and spent part of their afternoon, blasting their way through the snow-bound Gazebos. They arrived at the back door snowy and laughing and were easily convinced to stay for some evening music, nibbles and wine. The Potter socks were fought over by Mar's four brothers and then they all gathered together in the Ball room. James and his mum played the piano together while Sirius, Mars and Monte sang. The four McKinnon brothers dashed home, returning with a viola, an oboe, a cello and bagpipes; the whole McKinnon family were musical and what had been a single piano became a small orchestra. The evening included not just singing but dancing and story-telling.

Eventually, the whole McKinnon family returned to their own home for some private family gift exchange. This left Lily, James and Sirius to enjoy their evening just the three of them together for the first time really, relaxing by the fire. Sirius treated Lily to stories about some of their many adventures at Hogwarts and they both shared stories of summers spent at the Manor. Lily didn't fancy sharing stories of her summers past and she was far too interested in their past and their friendship. To a stranger, these stories might sound over-embellished but Lily knew that they probably were not. They had gotten up to a lot during their previous five years and had spent far too much time with Mr. Filch. It seemed that they, along with Remus and Pete had been everywhere including Hogsmeade and the Forbidden forest. They shared stories of their discoveries of Hogwarts' secret passageways; this was all a part of their research for the creation of the Marauder's Map. Sirius pulled out the Map just for the fun of spying what was up at the castle only to discover that Reg was there instead of at Grimmauld Place. This was curious. Snape was there too but Lily was not surprised; he had always hated going home on holidays. They didn't dwell on the Map but James insisted that Sirius keep it; knowing he'd want frequent peeks without making a show of it.

They sipped wine and laughed a great deal. Lily couldn't believe that just a few short months ago, her perception of these two wizards was completely off the mark. Sirius was devoted to James, Mars and Remus. Lily could detect hesitancy in Sirius's trust where Pete was concerned and secretly she approved. Lily decided that while James was rarely wrong about a person perhaps in this one case, Sirius might have the measure of Pete better than James. She wasn't sure why she didn't completely trust Pete, she liked him well enough but something held her back from trusting him.

Lily never quite understood Pete's contribution to the Marauders; he was not a powerful wizard on any level and it occurred to Lily more than once lately, that he might truly love them but hung around them as much for what they could do for him as for than who they were. She said nothing but made a mental note to have a care where Pete was concerned; if Sirius had doubts then there were surely justifiable reasons for them even if James would not see them. Some friends were friends for life while others were friends for now and Lily felt sure that Pete belonged to the latter.

Eventually their eyelids started drooping and sleep sounded delicious; it was bedtime. Lily's kneazle led the way upstairs and eyed James suspiciously when they lingered in Lily's doorway. James reminded the little kitten that he'd belonged to him first but it seemed that for now, this fur-ball was devoting himself exclusively to Lily. They parted reluctantly and Lily found her bed turned down, a fire blazed to keep warm and a cup of hot chocolate was waiting on her bedside table, courtesy of Wik. She and her kitten curled under James's quilt and knew nothing until the following morning.

Lily woke on Boxing Day to find sunshine peeking in through her windows. She climbed down from her four-foot high bed, dragging James's quilt with her, wrapping it around her shoulders and padded barefoot to her window. She could see the ocean! The snow was so deep she thought she might be able to hang from the balcony and touch it with her toes. The wind was evidently howling, she could see snow vortexes dancing in the air. Snow drifts: sculpted, crystalline waves dominated the landscape all the way to the coast.

Wanting to view this winter wonderland from every vantage point, she slipped on her Potter-Manor Christmas socks and snuck out of her room, leaving the door cracked for her kneazle. She tip-toed down the hall toward James room. Tempted to knock, she resisted, slipping past his door to the stairway and crept down. She entered the kitchen and sunlight poured in through the morning windows. The world outside was blindingly white! This view took in the forest behind the Manor where the trees bent under the weight of all that snow. It looked like something Dr. Seuss would have imagined. She padded out of the kitchen into the entry way and opened the front doors. It was a postcard. The ocean tossed white-capped, deep green waves with winters fury. It looked deathly cold. She closed the door as quietly as she could and proceeded, room to room on the whole first floor to see the view from wherever she was.

She heard footsteps. She steeled herself to be scolded by Flite for opening the front door. Instead she found Sirius coming her way, barefoot, with two mugs of coffee. "Morning Flower. Quite a view, eh?"

"Good morning Sirius. It certainly is. This place is mind-blowing. It's all pretty mind-blowing actually; the recent turn of events in the life and times of Lily Evans."

"Well … we are a patient lot so we all just waited for you two to grow up." Sirius smiled smugly and handed over her coffee.

"Thanks! I am sure it took a fair bit of patience. Mars has been telling me for years. All of them really have promoted and defended James always. I was so stupid! And stubborn! James is just so ... well, so much different to what I used to think. His wonderful parents … His family life … You and Mars … I feel like I don't know who I was before now and like I didn't know any of you at all; even Mars!"

"Ah. Well, to be fair to you, James has matured rather a lot in a very short time. You've both grown and you needed time to do that. It just wasn't time yet Flower, until it was. For you and James I mean. Does that make any sense?"

"Maybe. And you. Brilliant, funny … even wise! You are also much nicer than I expected. From the rumor mill, if I listened to that sort of thing, well… I expected you were a rogue and a charlatan! I bet that really pisses Mars off, hearing that sort of talk about you. They don't really know you at all, all those witches who talk!"

"They don't but it suits our purposes, mine and Mars'. As long as they keep on talking then they are paying attention to themselves and not paying attention to us. She used to be annoyed by the rumor mill but that ended last summer. It's why we never sing in public. Our cover would be blown."

"Too right you are! Sirius, you have an extraordinary voice, both of you are amazing. I bet that Walburga hates it; that you can really sing! And knit! Who'd of thought, Sirius Black, the sex-magnet, knits!"

Sirius laughed at that last. "The singing, Walburga hates but the knitting, well, she doesn't know. It's not like Grimmauld Place lent itself to the arts. It's built with dark magic, it infuses the whole place, almost like a Dementor; it sucks all the happiness from a person."

"I'll never tell anyone about you, I mean not a jot of anything about you. I promise, or about you and Mars. You two are right to limit who you share that with, your singing. It was very private, intimate really." Lily blushed furiously and looked out the window. "Thanks for sharing it with me though. I feel like you three have sorta unblocked me, like therapy or some sort, I dunno. I really knew nothing."

"That's not true Flower. You knew of James what he showed you. He's an idiot when he's scared and he is rarely scared so he is rarely an idiot, but he was always an idiot where you were concerned. I think you met idiot James first. We do love our idiot James but we're pleased to see him growing out of it. Mars was more patient with him than I was; he could be quite annoying! Remus threatened to throttle him numerous times! It's true though, everyone who actually knows James, loves him. As for me and Mars, we just are, Flower. I fell for her the instant I met her. I don't know how to explain except to say that while our story may have played out differently, I think we're just like you and James. It happened to us when we were very young, just like you and James, but with us, there was no third party to cast doubt or to run interference. So, while you and James fought and argued your way to get here, Mars and I, we just flirted and teased our way here."

"How did you know that it happened to me when I was young, the way I feel about James? I don't think even I actually knew!" Lily asked incredulously.

"Like you said Flower, I'm brilliant and wise. I could just tell. No one yells at another person that often and that loudly if they don't fancy them." He said simply.

"Oh. Well, I suppose then you are brilliant and wise."

"Besides, you did know Flower. You have always known. You found refuge in denial and James became more of an idiot! You just weren't ready. Nor was James. However, in the long run, it worked out as it should." He sipped his coffee and looked out at the glorious, sunshine. He was a complicated wizard and Lily realized she cared about him. He was so important to James. He was a deep thinker, Sirius.

"I sometimes think that wizards and witches are destined to fall in love only once." Sirius said softly. "First love an all that. Because Snape was in your early life though I prefer to think of it as, contaminated your earlier life, the James you knew was a pretty distorted version, or a fraction of the whole. Jealous James. Angry James. Frustrated and confused James. In his defense, James has never been wrong about anyone no matter how quickly he snapped to judgement; he's a bit like a dog that way, sniffs out motive and intent and either sits waiting to be petted, flees because because he's scared or growls because he'd love to tear someone limb from limb."

"That's very like what Dumbledore said. May I ask you a question?"

"You may ask another." Sirius said in a spot-on impression of their Headmaster.

"What about Pete? I sensed reservation on your part last night. Is James right to trust Pete?"

"That's a complicated question and I don't know the answer. I don't completely trust Pete, not like I trust James or Remus, Mars or you, now." Lily couldn't believe her ears.

"Sirius. I think that's the nicest thing you're ever said to me. I trust you too."

"Good. You should. I'm very particular about whom I trust. James, having been raised in a flood of love, views people differently. We balance each other out. I'm suspicious and James is generous. Remus is less extreme than either of us so he is sort of our anchor. James is far too loyal to doubt Pete. But, I feel certain that Pete will disappoint all of us one day."

"Well, I don't trust him either. I never understood what he brought to the group. I still don't. I am pleased though, for him and Mary. Everyone deserves to be loved by someone. And I suppose I like him. Mary certainly does. So many new pairs. It's remarkable. Dor has fancied Remus for ages. It's a brave new world."

"Flower? If you would let me offer an opinion, no... it's advice, I'm not Dumbledore. My advice is not clouded and cryptic."

"Please do Sirius."

"Mars and I, we try, not always successfully but still, we do try to keep our relationship on the down-low. It's not always easy as I'm sure you have probably noticed but as soon as we share it, we can never take it back. Once outsiders are allowed to intrude then we become ... part of the greater whole. An item ... about which folks will have opinions, even our friends will become a part of us, of me and Mars. We are both happy that you and James know. You two are our best friends so we decided you should know. But we need time even to let Remus and Dor completely in. Fortunately, they're busy now with each other. It's not about trust with Remus. I trust Remus. Hell, I love Remus! It's about the loss of what we have now. Right now, we are the whole of our own world. We are private. Once something is no longer private you can never truly get that privacy back. Now, we have the privacy we need to allow our thing to grow, to adjust, trust and explore our relationship. It's a very private thing; love between a witch and a wizard. We just aren't ready to be the subject of other people's conversations and opinions. We're even less willing to share our time with others when we could share it with only each other. Mars and I may never be willing to be the subject of someone's opinion or consternation. At least we've shared us, with the two of you. It's quite enough to be going on with at the present time." He looked out at the snow, his eyes always changing as Lily watched.

"Make no mistake Flower, in the current climate we are noticed even scrutinized. _A Blood traitor and the only McKinnon witch for generations...in love!_ Excuse this next but it'll be _Mud-blood bewitches pure blood heir to the Potter legacy,_ before you can say bugger off! It's horrid but it'll be true. Witches who have lusted after our James may start queueing up to _save him_ just as wizards who have been sniffing around Mars will think to do the same. At the very least, there will be talk and the privacy of what you two, share, will end."

Lily was taken aback and suddenly worried. Sirius never had given her advice before and he said the word love.

Sirius could see fear in Lily's eyes and knew that she would run if she thought for a second it would spare James so he hadn't quite hit the mark. He couldn't leave it like this; James would throttle him! He took her by the shoulders and looked into those singular green eyes to plead his case.

"Flower. You and James belong together so don't keep him at arms-length because you think that'll protect him. It won't. It'll only hurt and confuse him. If you were to pull back from him now, well, we might all lose him. You two are becoming and having crossed that line, there will be no retreat for James. Just try to keep your feelings for one another as private as you can. Remember, there's a difference between privacy and secrecy. There will, of course, be talk, speculation and always, unsolicited opinions. Mars and I try to never give it fuel but it's not always easy as I am sure you have observed. Just imagine Snape's reaction to the two of you being together! Beyond the people we trust, well I wouldn't trust any of the rest the length of my wand."

He was right, of course. Her first instinct to run was misguided and very un-Gryffindor of her. And Snape … his reaction will be very bad no matter how hard they tried to hide it or soften the blow; it might lead to the duel she knew James would win but didn't like the idea regardless. "So, you and me are a couple of outsiders, huh? Bad pennies? It's a Muggle saying. Naughty knuts?"

Sirius seemed to share Lily's sense of humor and he laughed. "Naughty knuts! I like it. That we are Flower. You by birth, me by choice." Sirius smiled that smile that broke witch's hearts. It sorta broke Lily's too but she wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because she had come to regard Sirius as a friend. He mattered. Then he continued but the hopeful look in his grey eyes returned. "Bad pennies or naughty knuts. Either way, we are loved by the best people there are … so, we must be irresistible! We are worth their love Lily. We make them profoundly happy and deeply content. Only you and I can do that for James and Mars. It's the most powerful magic there is and they deserve it. It's what we bring to the group; their joy. Never forget it!"

Lily smiled; she did understand. She didn't want to be an item either but she wanted even less to walk away from James. "So... on the down low then, like spies and safe houses."

"Exactly. Wizard and witch witness protection!" Sirius was grinning full on now and the tension of their conversation was breaking. "Marauders, Flower! We're Marauders!"

"Marauders! Good morning! Look at it out there. Isn't it awesome! Look at those drifts would ya! It's probably freezing but who cares ...there's always Fire whiskey and hot springs, fireplaces and hugs!" James wandered in and he was beaming!

"Good morning James." He's lovely in the morning thought Lily. Perfect.

"Good morning Lily, Pads. Look at it out there! I'll bet there's ten Merlins out there if there's an inch. We've got to use all of that for something fun, dangerous, outlandish!"

"I saw the coast James, first thing this morning; it's outstanding, the view from my room. I just had to come down and see all the views from every window in your house!"

"Whadayasay Pads? Should we show Lily the view of views?"

"We should. What would a stay at the Manor be without the view of views?"

"Come on Lily. Let me and Pads show you a real view."

"Wik! Coffee please, in The Tower." James shouted gleefully.

"Right away Master James."

"Thanks, Wik."

"So, Lily, remember I said that The Manor is really old. Well, it really is. We have a Watch Tower!" James was beaming as he took Lily's hand and the three of them went to the Aviary. Once there, James placed his hand on the right wall just past the Aviary entrance, exactly as his mum had done to open the way to the greenhouse and the wall dissolved. James practically drug her up the spiral stone stairs (they were very narrow and vey steep) that just seemed to keep rising. It was dizzy business. When they reached the top James did a theatrical 'Ta Da' and Lily followed the direction his hand indicated. It was indeed a tower room with three hundred and sixty degrees of viewing pleasure. From here Lily could see the whole estate. The tower itself was like a small apartment complete with a giant bed, a kitchenette, a loo, windows from floor to roof which was transparent so you could see the sky and a fireplace smack-dab in the center of the room. There were telescopes and omnioculars at every window and Lily felt giddy. "Wow James, way to save the best for last! I could live here!" Lily was gobsmacked!

"You could Lily." The look in his eyes was sincere, not a trace of teasing. They were not alone but her mind leapt to the options available if they were. James was completely serious. "It's a hidden room Lily, like the Room of Requirement, it's the one room that doesn't show up on dad's map. Even were we to be back at the gazebo looking this direction we wouldn't see it unless dad lowered the invisibility charm. It has a second Fidelius Charm on it and now you have been taken into the charm as well. You are included in the secret so the room, the way up, it will all recognize you and your right to be here.

"Really? I could place my hand on the wall and it would dissolve for me? Let me pass?"

"Yup. It would. Wanna try?"

"I do, yes. Come back down with me in case it doesn't work though."

"It'll work Lily. It's magic!"

James and Lily descended the spiral stone stairs and exited into the Aviary. The wall was there, fully formed behind them. Tentative at first, she reached up and withdrew. "Go on Lily. It knows you now."

Lily placed her own hand on the wall and it dissolved, allowing her to pass. "Wow James! It does recognize me. I dunno what to say. It's a family secret."

"Lily you can come to my house anytime now, even if none of us are here. The Manor Wards, not only the tower but the gazebo as well. All will recognize you as family. You are part of Potter Manor and it will safeguard you whenever you are here. You are under its protection. It's part of dad's Fidilius charm."

"Thank you, James." Lily could think of nothing else to say. It meant a lot more to her than any words she could think of, to be part of his home, to be recognized. She really was part of the world of magic now. A proper witch. Again, the feeling of being overwhelmed by emotion took her and for a short time she just stood there, mastering the feelings that were bent on overflowing. James took hold of her hand and urged her to follow him. She let him lead and just moving helped bring her back to the present. He'd not said a word but she knew somehow, James understood how much this meant to her and in his ever-gentle way drew her back. They ascended the spiral stone stairs back up to the Tower Room.

"Pads is included in the charm, Remus and Mars as well; we spend time every summer up here."

Coffee had arrived courtesy of Wik. "There we go. Thanks, Wik! Whatever would I do without you Wik?"

"You will never be without me Master James. Never."

"Miss Lily? Master Sirius? More coffee?"

"Yes Wik. Thank you. It's delicious by the way."

James once again took Lily's free hand and led her to the windows, just watching her as she looked out over the grounds and the gardens and the forest all currently buried under mountains of snow. Her eyes danced and her mouth was open in an O. She pulled all that ginger hair back and up onto her head, wrapped it with her ever-present velvet loop and began to walk the windows. She took a pair of omnioculars with her and surveyed the view. "Is that Mar's house?"

"Yup. And all that mist there in the lower part of the forested area, that's where the hot springs are."

"How do you ever leave here? I don't know if I could. I don't know if I'd want to."

"I leave because it's mine so I can come back any time I like. And now, so can you."

"Show off!"

"Maybe. Just this once. But now you can be a show off too! Very few people are recognized by Potter Manor Lily. I do love it here and when I'm away, I miss it. I miss the freedom I have here. Here, there's no war, no Voldemort, no Death Eaters, no fear. There's just life!"

"Ah, so I see that James has brought you to our secret room. Good morning Lily. I hope you slept like a child." Euphie's face was radiant as she moved in to give her son a proper hug; a real embrace and then she turned her attention to Sirius who looked mock fearful that he wouldn't get his morning hug. "Sirius come here. Give your Euphie a proper morning hug." Her arms opened and Sirius fell in; like it was the hug that would cleanse him of his own mother; he hugged Euphemia like that and Lily knew he meant it.

"Lily? Come give your Euphie a proper morning hug!" Lily practically skipped over, James's quilt still wrapped around her shoulders and received her first real embrace from the woman who created and raised James. This embrace cemented her sense of belonging; her identity as a witch. She embraced this witch hoping it said a wordless thank you; like all the non-verbal magic she had witnessed here at Potter Manor. She knew that were she to try and articulate her thanks, she could never find the words to express her gratitude.

Lily had never experienced so much communication without words as she had experienced here over the last couple of days; in James's home. Nor had she rolled through so many powerful emotions, all utterly new and exceedingly wonderful emotions yet, so much more powerful than any she had ever experienced up to now. Sometimes she felt quite light-headed, feeling so much; it was new to her. How had she lived her whole life and never felt like this? She was a part of something greater than herself; a member of a magical family, a magical community really. She felt cared for and valued as a witch for the first time in her life!

In this moment, Lily knew that the scope of her life was expanding by orders of magnitude. She would have adventures, she would belong, she loved more people now that she'd ever loved and she wanted this! Gone were the days of hiding her nature! Gone were the days of fearing change or ridicule! She had something now that she knew she would fight for, would take risks for and all of it came to her through James. Remus had been her bridge to the other side but her feet were firmly planted here now in this magical world. Her life had indescribably more meaning than she's ever imagined it would have. She was actually content, at ease and ridiculously happy. All because a tenacious wizard refused to give up on her! It was nothing short of a miracle!

"So, what reckless plans are you three concocting for all that snow?"

"What would you suggest mum?"

"Well, breakfast first. After that, it seems to me the possibilities are endless. Sledding, snowmen, snowball fights, competing with that wind alone would be a hoot! Much like our battle in the greenhouse Lily." She winked at Lily just like James would've. "I remember reading in one of our Muggle periodicals about a sport called skiing. Lily am I correct? Barreling down a mountainside on two thin strips of wood strapped to your feet."

"Exactly Euphie. That's exactly what skiing is and it seems very Marauderesque!"

"It does, doesn't it? Almost as daft as dragon racing or Quidditch!"

"Mum! Quidditch isn't daft!" James and Sirius looked at Euphie like she was daft.

"Sirius, message Mars and tell her breakfast is in an hour, in the Tower."

"Yes mum." Sirius conjured his Patronus and sent it to the McKinnon's.

"Wik!" Wik appeared.

"Yes, Mistress Euphie?"

"We'll have breakfast here. Please go wake Master Monte and tell him we're in The Tower. Mention bacon, that always gets him out of bed. After that, we're going to try our skill at fashioning skis. If we fail, we'll just sled or have a snowball fight. It's too beautiful a day for Monte to miss and remind him of the hot springs; that'll get him moving!"

"Yes, Mistress Euphie, I believe it will."

Within the hour, Monte surfaced, Mars arrived and they enjoyed breakfast in the Tower while discussing the Potter New Year's party. Euphie and Monte invited Lily themselves and James just sat on the opposite side of their table beaming. Afterward they all took a turn at transfiguring firewood into skis just for the fun of it and with Lily's help she thought that their resulting skis might actually work. But she pointed out that their estate lacked a steep enough grade for proper skiing. Monte suggested a modified locomotor charm and they all agreed it'd work but they settled on building a snow fort instead. Utilizing the balconies which were covered with six feet of snow and not quite so windy they overdressed and went to work. It was great fun just clearing a path through all the snow and Euphie was right; Lily had practiced in her greenhouse and was consequently hailed as a master at moving snow! It turned out that after three hours of labor they were exhausted, sweaty and ready for the hot springs, food and rest. But they had built a snow fort and it was guarded by their snow wizards, complete with old cloaks and wands! All were visible on the balcony off the kitchen through the morning windows.

They made the Gazebo trip to the McKinnon's and Mars gave Lily the tour of her family home. It was just as large as James's and very old. Stylish and lovely in the old style with grand old tapestries, fireplaces in every room, fabric wall-paper, highly polished wooden floors and high-backed fabric furniture that reminded Lily of pictures she'd seen of Buckingham Palace. There were window seats in every room, framing views to enjoy for hours. Mars took Lily to her room which was Mars all over. Quidditch posters were over every surface of one wall. She had a wall devoted to music and another to pictures. Lily spent a long while looking at these. Little Mars with her shining electrum hair, little James holding in his hands the largest toad Lily had ever seen. She showed Lily to their private swimming pool which was just a covered natural pool that was part of the hot springs.

"Now you've been here so you have no excuse to not return and stay with me, frequently!"

"You are right Mars and I will. I promise! What an amazing place to be a child! I can easily see you and James out there, exploring, getting filthy, using the hot springs as a tub! Mars! I have missed too much!"

"Maybe. But you are here now and as Sirius would say, now is all that matters."

They spent a several hours in the hot springs and in the flowing stream that was hot as well. The stream had cooler warm flows which allowed them to make a whole afternoon of it. The steam rose into the freezing air and practically snowed back down on them. It was relaxing and rejuvenating at the same time. They were joined by Mars' family, Euphie and Monte. When they returned to The Manor, Lily felt like a noodle. Once dressed, she returned downstairs to discover everyone seemed to be off doing their own thing. Sirius and Mars were playing at the piano and singing very softly to each other in quiet singing voices. James was obviously the pianist but their voices made up for their playing. Lily left them to it. Monte was in his laboratory, she could hear him singing through the open door to his lab. Then she heard Euphie singing as well and she smiled at the thought of the two of the up to their own mischief down there. Lily walked through the ground floor rooms in search of the illusive James.

She found him in his niche, reading. She hovered in the doorway quietly hoping to just look at him for a bit without him looking back at her; capture him in an innocent moment, on his own. She would probably go home tomorrow; she did need to see her parents but she hated leaving him. She hated leaving his family, his elves, their friends and Potter Manor. She could just look at him forever, the way he smiled with his whole self, the way his eyes always dilated whenever he looked at her, the way his head would tilt slightly toward her whenever she spoke. How in every moment, he would stay as close to her as the situation permitted.

"Can I join you in your niche?"

"Of course, you can Lily. Come on up." He patted the floor next to him and she climbed up his ladder. She sat down next to him, her legs dangling over the edge and he slid toward her, keeping the space between them to a minimum. "You found me."

"I'll miss you James. It's been an incredible gift; being here with you and your family. You never give up do you James?"

"No Lily, I never give up."

"Lucky for me then, that you don't."

"It wasn't luck Lily. It was certainty. I told you it's almost impossible to change my mind about someone after the first impression ... that included you, as well. I'm never wrong about this sort of thing Lily. I wasn't wrong about you either."

Lily was feeling hot in the face again and she could feel her torso heat up and spread all the way to the roots of her matching hair. She swallowed and it was difficult. James pulled his legs up and crossed them in front of himself and then tugged on Lily's arm, asking her to face him. She complied and he took both her hands into his.

"We really would love to have you join us for New Year's but I know that since you haven't been with your parents much, you may decide that staying with them would be a best and I understand that. If you do decide to not come, it's fine, really. I'll try not to pout about it all night. But if you decide to come just send your doe to me with instructions, OK? She'll find me, even if we're in The Tower and I'll come get you, one way or another. I promise."

"I will James, I promise too."


	17. Ch Seventeen: 1, January, 1977

**Chapter 17 January 1, 1977**

James insisted on Flooing Lily home the following day even though Lily thought she could manage it herself; he was being a gentleman and he'd told her parents he would, so he did. Lily felt so large when she stepped out of the fireplace into her family's modest living room; there was no place to go here and not run into something; an end table or a chair or a wall. It would take some readjusting but her parents were a welcome sight.

"Lily! Welcome home!" They enveloped her, ash and all and James as well. Lily could tell that James was surprised but pleased all the same; his dimples were showing. The tree was waiting, not one package had been opened and Lily knew that they would celebrate Christmas tonight. They sat in the kitchen and enjoyed some tea. James said nothing about the New Year's Eve party at Potter Manor and Lily was glad of this. One bridge at a time.

"I'll have a towel ready for Mighty; tell him that for me. Maybe send your stag over once in a while and I'll send my doe, I know she'll find you, wherever you are." She hugged him fiercely and her throat constricted. Then, she watched James disappear in blue flames from her living room fireplace. She would be alright, she was with her parents, she had her kneazle, Petunia wasn't here and James was no further than a Patronus away.

She enjoyed Christmas with her parents. Lily explained the difference between a kneazle and a cat and they seemed to understand though Lily's dad looked as suspicious of her kneazle as her kneazle did of him. Her father made Christmas dinner again, just for the three of them; the last happy time she would have in her parent's home though Lily wasn't to know that yet. This holiday marked a change in her world and thankfully she had her parents to herself, without Petunia's exhausting presence.

Lily fought occasional periods depression in the days leading up to New Years. Petunia! She would have to see Petunia! And Vermin! She'd have to remember not to call him that but it did quite fit...and … she'd have to meet his family. The Dursley's were to be hosting a New Year's dinner and sent the Evans's an official invitation; _'The Dursley's would be honored it they, The Evans's, would join them to ring in the new year,'_ … blah, blah, blah …

"We have to accept dear. I know we all dread this but it had to happen sometime. As much a wind-bag as he is, I think he cares for our Petunia. She is, our first-born child. Besides, we all know a happy Petunia is far, far better than an unhappy Petunia " Lily's mother pointed out as diplomatically as she could, given the provocative nature of such a pretentious invitation; it set the tone for the evening and Lily's mother was sure she had just been put on notice.

"Of course, we do dear. We'll soldier on and Lily and I will tread carefully, won't we Lily? We want Petunia to be happy too, I just can't believe she would choose someone so boorish and self-absorbed." Lily's father conceded with a hug for his wife and a secret wink over his wife's shoulder for his Lily.

As much as the thought of spending an evening with Petunia was onerous, the reality of spending one with Petunia, Vermin and the Dursley's made Lily feel slightly nauseous. She explained all her misgivings to her kneazle, who, up to now remained nameless. Her kneazle listened attentively and Lily could have sworn that he had learned to associate this discomfited Lily with the aura of Petunia's bedroom. She wouldn't voice these doubts to her parents. They had enough to be going on with and besides, it was just one evening. Lily could make it through anything for one evening and she would do it for Petunia. Petunia was her sister. This mattered to Petunia! Lily also hoped, privately, that if Petunia was happy and fulfilled then perhaps their relationship might soften. It would never be what it had been, before Lily's magic surfaced but it might become something that the two sisters could value; find rewarding, if not loving.

Lily found she was also feeling increasingly out of place in her parent's home, _her parent's home, not Lily's home_. It could be just the impending dinner party but Lily thought not. She was sure it was because it was an utterly non-magical home; Muggle right down into its bones! Her kneazle; being a magical creature seemed to sense this as well, he'd never been in a Muggle home nor for that matter, set a single paw outside the magical world. Lily kept him with her at all times, so he could feel her magic and so she could feel his. She also whispered and purred in his little kneazle ears her new mantra: 'It's just for a bit. We're going home soon. I promise!' Apparently kneazles were even more intelligent than Lily realized, as he demonstrated, by insisting Petunia's bedroom door be given a wide berth.

Her parents seemed interested in her kneazle and her dad even did some research. "Well, all the books I've found say that kneazles are a mythological creature; no more real than mermaids or dragons or wizards! So much for reliable resources, eh? What would these alleged resources would say about you, Lily!" her dad laughed in his deep booming laugh. "What was Shakespeare's line, "There are more things in heaven and earth Horatio than are dreamt of in your philosophy." Maybe Shakespeare was a wizard Lils!"

"Who knows dad, maybe he was!"

Lily missed more than James. She missed magic, his parents, the feel of the the magic of Potter Manor. She missed the snow and Wik and being unguarded. She missed Sirius and Mars. She also missed herself; Lily Evans, the witch. She had to think before she spoke here and she edited most of what she said even to her parents. They could never know how perilous her world was because they would beg her to stay here and she knew she would refuse. They would never understand why Lily would choose be part of her dangerous magical world rather than part of their safe Muggle world and she was not at all sure she could explain to them what it felt like to have to sacrifice her nature to be here with them. It was fine for a holiday but Lily doubted she could remain sane were, should she to have to live here forever. She used to believe that she could live across both worlds; pretend that she just moved to Manchester or London, exactly like thousands of Muggles who left home for university or for a job. Now she realized, dreams like that were for Muggles, not witches. Her parents would never actually be able to join her in her world, her world would never risk it and she could never stay in theirs.

A tiny bubble of hope leaked into Lily's current thinking. _The Potter's would welcome her parents._ With the thought their boundless, hopeful generosity, the open-mindedness and willingness of Euphie and Monte Potter, she remained lonely here but was cheered, by their magic. She knew her days here were numbered. Lily had gone from wishing that this holiday would never end to praying for time to fly so she could rejoin her world. It made her very sad to realize that the division between magic and Muggle was no longer a theoretical concept. There was a very real divide between these two worlds and Lily needed to live in the former, not the latter.

On the thirty-first of December, Lily and her parents made the dreaded drive to meet the Dursley's. It turned out that the sister's reunion was every bit as awkward as Lily expected. Lily received Petunia's air kisses on both sides of her face; it was like Petunia feared magical contamination. Lily's dress received disapproving glances from Petunia as did her hair and her shoes. Petunia was all dolled up to look like a figurine at the top of a winter wedding cake, chiffon and lace, coiffed hair molded and sprayed into place, makeup that made her look more like a mannequin than a person, even her voice had changed. Now her voice contained a falsely sweet pretense that made Lily's skin crawl.

Vernon accepted Lily's presence in his home with all the grace of a threatened Wildebeest and proceeded to regale his guests with stories about himself, his job, his prospects and looking at everyone except at Lily. _He can't know! Petunia would never have told him._ Perhaps the simply disliked each other, Vermin and Lily. His family were fairly well-off as far as Muggle's went, but not wealthy as they pretended to be; putting on airs like they were the bee's knees of English aristocracy. Their home was large and well-appointed in that magazine way that looked like no one really lived there; it lacked the warmth of a lived-in home. Vermin's sister Marge was the worst, possibly even worse than Petunia. She greatly resembled Vermin which was not desirable for a woman, their mannerisms were identical and Marge was … a bit of a sadist. She reminded Lily of Peeves only meaner and felt certain that Sirius would recognize Walburga in Marge.

Dinner was a fussy show of food that cost a fortune and no one really wanted to eat. It was a show of power. Exotic foods like squid and caviar that Lily did not trust she could swallow without the gag reflex. Lily thought about what James would do in similar circumstances. He might just hex the lot of them! But probably he'd just listen instead. Listen and nod in a non-committed way with an occasional, 'of course' thrown in for good measure. "Know your enemy", he would say. "Learn all you can about their motivations in the hope that by causing no offense you'll be that much more well prepared for the next meeting. Survive this night." So, Lily did and said everything exactly as she imagined James would and the dinner actually passed without incident. So far, so good.

Then, Vermin did the most unexpected thing; he proposed to Petunia, at the dinner table in front of both families! He got down on one knee in front of Petunia and opened a tiny jewelry box that contained a large diamond solitaire ring and asked her very formally if she would do him the honor of becoming Mrs. Vernon Dursley.

Petunia loved it! She was the center of attention and she accepted his proposal on the spot, with all the enthusiasm that such an occasion allowed. She was ever the gracious bride to be. Lily actually thought that Petunia had been at this pretend-to-be-someone-you're-not game for long enough that she actually believed herself an heiress! There were toasts to their health and to their future and the future of the Dursley legacy and Lily played along; on auto pilot. Her parents seemed to be rolling with the punches as well as could be expected but Lily caught them just once, rolling their eyes and this gave Lily hope. In Vernon's defense, he did know his bride to be very well and he'd given her exactly what she wanted. He also seemed sincere and Lily decided that they really were perfectly suited to each other.

Lily thought that she might make it out of here alive and without having a blazing row with her sister. But Marge had other plans. She was indeed, a sadist as well as a phony and a snob and tonight, Lily was her victim. Quite loudly she said very clearly, "Well, Petunia dear, you'll have to find suitable bridesmaids; I can help you there. Some people are meant to be seen at a society wedding and I am sorry to say that your sister here is not one of those people." Then she turned to face Lily and said, "I'm sure you understand dear, it's the look of the thing that matters for a wedding with our kind of people."

Lily gaped at this woman but she had a mad desire to laugh. _Our kind of people_? Indeed! She would not suffer any of this, especially not from this toad-faced, wench! She rose, excused herself and left the room, before anyone could swallow their champagne or say a thing or try to stop her. She desperately hoped they would just let her go. She remembered seeing a fireplace somewhere in this place, a library or a study somewhere and she went looking for it. She was leaving. She didn't care about the Statute of Secrecy now, she didn't care if everyone here saw her do magic. She couldn't do it anymore; let Petunia make her feel like this; like a freak. She was done. Done with this farce and done with her sister.

She found the room with a fireplace, she conjured her Patronus and spoke to it, "James! Rescue me! Connect fireplace. Four Utley Place, Surrey" and sent it to James. Then she paced the room. She paced, quietly whispering, "Please James, Please,". Exactly one minute later, James Potter Flooed into Vernon Dursley's home!

At exactly the same time, Petunia found her; she must have come to tell Lily off for embarrassing her in front of her new family, to tell her to act like a lady and to get back into the dining room when she saw blue flames erupt in the fireplace of Vernon's study. A tall, bespectacled man with horrid hair, wearing those ridiculous wizard robes walked out of the fireplace and into the room. She backed away from him as he crossed the room and shrieked her Petunia shriek! James walked straight to Lily, ash and all, picked her up and kissed her right there! Soon the whole rest of the dinner party was arriving and protesting vociferously at such un-natural behavior. The scene was comedic really, James looking absolutely wizardish had come to save Lily! Lily looked at her parents and mouthed 'Forgive me!'.

James carried Lily to the fireplace and stepped in with Lily in his arms, cloak swirling around them as he turned to face the witnesses of all this magic. The looks on the faces of the on-looking Muggles was worth whatever punishment they might receive! Boggled trolls! James released the Floo powder while they both yelled "Potter Manor!" In a flash of blue, they were gone!

They Flooed directly into James kitchen. Lily was laughing properly now but there were traces of tears on her ash smudged face; to be despised by your own sister was very sad indeed. But James had come! He did so with such innocent wizarding flair it was a priceless moment seared into their shared memories. Lily was a mess, her hair was disheveled and she looked a bit mad, laughing and crying at the same time. James's parents, Sirius, Mars and Wik were waiting for her here in the relative privacy of the kitchen. There was music coming from The Ballroom. Lily remembered it was New Year's Eve and she had sort of, just crashed their party.

"My kneazle! I left him at my parent's! We have to go get him! If Petunia finds him, who knows what she'll do. And all my stuff in my bag. My wand! I've left my wand there too!"

"Lily, you conjured your Patronus and it spoke to it without a wand?" Euphie asked not even making an effort to hide her surprise..

"I must've done." Everyone in the room paused and just looked at her still in James's arms, his smile blindingly happy. Their mouths hanging open in that O seen so often this year. It was a year of O's.

Sirius recovered first. "Flower, this is a job for Marauders! James and I will Floo to your house, collect your kneazle and your bag and your wand and we'll be back before you can say 'Bob's your uncle!"

Lily felt faint with gratitude and started giggling. Sirius Black was truly her friend and he instinctively knew when and how to make her laugh.

James set Lily down and Mars and Euphie sped to her, wrapping Lily's bare shoulders in a random blanket they conjured from somewhere. They guided her to sit in the same place at the kitchen table she had occupied only days ago.

"Go boys and be quick about it. Monte, will you speak to Albus about this and Harold as well? He's had a few so I'm sure there will be no repercussions. Mars and I will see to Lily. We'll take her to her room and get her into a hot bubble bath with some strong sweet tea. Oh, and boys, be careful and whatever you do, don't leave a calling card! Come Lily. Good thinking by the way. You made it to our party after all! Lily? Lily, look at me dear." Euphie took Lily's sooty, tear-stained face in her soft, strong hands and focused Lily's attention. "All your friends are here and once we get you cleaned up and feeling settled you've a party to attend!"

Lily looked at Euphie and cried some more laughing all the while. She was exactly what Lily needed now, a strong witch to take charge. She let Euphie and Mars lead her out the kitchen and up the stairs as quietly as possible. She trusted them completely, as she trusted James and Sirius to retrieve her belongings, her wand and her kneazle. They were exceedingly talented wizards so she knew she need not worry. She didn't really want to be seen like this, crying and laughing at the same time, sooty and tear-stained. Euphie, wisely grabbed a bottle of fire whiskey off the counter and they whisked Lily upstairs to her room.

Flite had already prepared Lily's bath which was filling with purple bubbles and golden steam, there was colored fire in the grate, courtesy of James, her bed was turned down and James's quilt was there, warm and waiting.

"Thank you, Euphie. It was a nightmare, honestly! I just had to get outta there and I knew my doe would find James. I couldn't really think what else to do."

"You did exactly as you should have done Lily. James would be furious if you hadn't called out to him. He's so pleased right now, thinks he's Godric Gryffindor! But it was all you. You saved yourself Lily."

"I guess I did. Still, wouldn't have done me much good without James coming, no questions asked. He was amazing! You should have seen him coming out of the Dursley's fireplace, it was the stuff of every witch's dreams. Blue fire, ash everywhere, the dashing wizard saving his witch. If I'd brought my wand I could've hailed the Knight bus but I left it at my parent's, and I'd have missed heroic James! Petunia would kill me if I'd brought it to the Dursley's. I guess they'll need their memories modified?" Then Lily noticed the look of... something … in Mars very blue eyes. "Hey Mars! Love you Mars!"

"Hey Lily. Glad you're here. You know, I've always hated Petunia! I thought, when I met her that she was unlikable due to proximity but I was wrong, she's just as unlikable when she's absent! Now I hate her even more and I haven't even heard what happened yet! Come on sweetie, let's get these clothes off you and get you into that tub. Look at the state of you; you're a mess." Mars helped Lily get her hair up and out of the way. Then she plopped down into the window seat of Lily's bathroom to keep her friend company. "Yea, there will definitely be some memory modifying going on, probably as we speak!"

Lily stripped off her clothes thinking that she just might burn them and climbed into the tub. Mars handed her the strong sweet tea laced with a generous measure of medicinal Fire Whiskey and Lily drank it down. Then, when she could feel herself relaxing she told Mars every detail of what happened.

"What a bitch! Lily you escaped just like Sirius did! If I ever see that Petunia I may have to hex her Lily! How can she be related to you?" Mars rarely yelled and reserved swearing for fitting circumstances. She was doing both now!

"We can't choose our family Mars. Seems like Sirius have that in common, just as you've said. But Marge, Vernon's sister, she reminded me of how Sirius describes Walburga. I can never go back to just letting her treat me like that Mars! This was it, the last Snap Card! It all exploded! Petunia just let that dreadful person say things about me that were cruel and she never once, intervened on my behalf. She probably agrees! Thank God James came and I'm here now with the people I love best!"

Then as if to wash the whole nightmare away, she dunked her head under the bubble infused water. She was with the people she loved best (minus her parents), in a place she had come to love, she'd be welcomed here and all her friends were down stairs right now celebrating New Year's like wizards! As she popped back up above the bubbles, purple sparks rose from the balcony below and they came right through the glass of the bathroom window to hover over Lily's head. She recognized the wand work of Remus and Pete and she smiled. She was home now.

Euphie returned with news. "So, the Dursley's of Four Utley Place, Surrey have had their memories modified. Your parent's memories were modified too Lily. I'm sorry but Harold, Mr. Minchum that is, insisted. As far as they know, you are still snow bound here; you were never there. Everyone downstairs says 'hurry up!'. James and your kneazle would like to peek in just to make sure you are alright. I told him to behave and he has promised he will. Mars? Sirius begs you to join him, he feels like dancing. Oh, and Flite has laid out some clean clothes for you when you're ready. Also, Wik has a pick-me-up cordial waiting for you. Feeling better?"

"Much! Thank you! I feel so much better! I don't know what I'd have done without you all."

"Well Lily, you need not worry about that. You are always welcome here. Shall I send James in?"

"Please. See you in a bit Mars. Oh, hey Mars? Thanks for being my best friend. I really love you, you know! And tell Sirius thank you for me for rescuing my kneazle and Remus and Pete for the stars. I'll be down soon but I'd like them to know that I am thinking thanks to them right now."

"Will do Lily. See you in a bit." Mars left and Euphie sent in her son before leaving them alone, closing the door softly behind her.

"Hey Lily. I've got your wand here. Not sure you need it though! Talk about wandless magic. McGonagall, Flitwick and Diggle are so chuffed. Lily Evans and her wandlessly conjured talking Patronus. It'll be legend at Hogwarts! This little guy missed you." James set Lily's kneazle on the floor but he jumped up to the rim of the tub, dragged his tail through the bubbles in her bath and proceeded to clean himself up. He was as much a mess as Lily was moments ago.

"Thank you, James! Thank you so much for answering my doe!" Her hand was wet and bubble covered but she reached it out to him and James took it in his own. With his other hand, he asked permission to touch her kneazle. Surprisingly he not only permitted this but he leaned in and began to purr. "It was terrible there. Really terrible. Now I know a little bit about what you meant when you said Sirius had to escape Grimmauld place. I won't go back James! How am I supposed to go back to being called a freak and living like a Muggle? It's doesn't even feel like living anymore!"

"Firstly, you're welcome Lily. I'd do anything for you, anything at all. Secondly, don't even think about any of that now. Your parents are fine, you're here and Petunia doesn't remember anything. The Obliviators were careful not to modify Petunia's memory of the proposal but none of them remember you being there. How're you feeling?"

"Better, sad sorta. I don't belong there any more James. I feel homeless."

"You're not homeless Lily! You have me! You have us ... all of us. We are, all of us, yours! There's not a witch or wizard down there who wouldn't proudly take you in. We've got first dibs though. I know that tonight was awful but it's over now. You were brilliant! You should have seen the group here when your Patronus appeared in the Ball Room. Diggle was bursting and told everyone, 'Yup, she's one of mine!' That didn't sit too well with Slughorn who claimed you a his own! But McGonagall reminded everyone that you belong to her house. Flitwick bragged that it was a charm after all and Dumbledore just smiled at everyone as they went on and on about you. Now that they all know it was conjured, without your wand, without any wand well, you've set far too high a standard for the rest of us! You may receive a round of applause when you get down there!"

"I'm just so relieved you came. I didn't even think to use my wand even though stupidly, I didn't have it, I left it at my parent's house for Petunia's sake. I just thought of you. I called out to you for rescue and you came!"

"Yea, well you know ... you can always count on me Lily. Like I said, I'd do anything for you. I was terrified for a minute; thought it might be a life or death situation. Anyway, I promised mum I'd behave and seeing you in only bubbles is making that a difficult promise to keep. So, I'll just go back downstairs and wait for you there." James eyes were drawn to naked Lily covered in bubbles.

"Right ... Yes. That'd be good. She was just in bubbles and they were here alone. Her color, rose. James noticing this just smiled in a very self-satisfied way and took it as his que to leave.

Lily dunked herself again hoping to shed her flush in all those bubbles. It took a while. She climbed out of the tub, wrapped up in a thick cotton robe that was waiting on the back of the door and scooped up her kneazle. "Sorry little guy. I'd never have left you there. You were a hero tonight too, letting James collect you, sitting on my tub, allowing him to pet you. You will always be a reminder to me of how a terrible night turned out brilliantly! And to always count on James! I woulda gone back to get you myself if I had to. My littlest hero." Lily's kneazle purred louder, really nuzzling her now. His little paws were up and gently he pawed her lips, no claws ... just paws. "What did I say? That you're a little hero. Oh! Hero. Is that your name?" He looked right into Lily's eyes and she could have sworn he nodded. "It's perfect. Your name is Hero. Well Hero, we have a party to attend so come on, let's get me dressed and go celebrate the New Year! There's a hot wizard waiting for me down there!" Lily, dried, dressed and carried Hero down to meet everyone in the Ball Room.

"Hi everyone! I'd like you all to meet my Christmas present from James. Everyone, this is Hero. He's just chosen his name so today is his official name-day. Hero, this is everyone. Sorry James, he insisted. You are my hero first but you already have a name so he claimed Hero for his own! Who was I to argue?" There was a round of applause for Lily and her wandless talking Patronus and she bowed to the room with flourish which of itself marked a change. Lily tended to avoid attention as her coloring was usually enough to insure heads turning, where ever she was. She did feel better and James slipped his warm hand into hers and they laced their fingers. It would have to do for now. Wik appeared with Lily's pick-me-up cordial and Lily smiled her thanks as he bustled off to play music for all the guests.

"Don't be sorry Lily. It's a brilliant name; Hero. Look at McGonagall, she's in love!" Sure enough, their Professor was sitting on a chair conversing with Hero who it apparently walked right over to her. "I wonder how Hero would respond if she transfigured? Professor? Transfigure. Go on."

"Well James I suppose just this once. Hero, I'm not a kneazle but I'm as clever as. We should get along famously!" Professor McGonagall transformed.

They were quite adorable. Lily was certain however, that her Professor would object to being thought of as adorable. It was the first time she had ever heard her Professor call James, James.

Lily was soon bowled over by Remus and Dor who were also very happy she had escaped and gleeful to be together at Potter Manor. Pete and Mary were having a great time and gave her a hug. "Thanks for the purple sparks! They had your distinct Marauder signature and came right through the window." Frank and Alice waved while they danced. Wik of course resumed playing the piano. Lily looked around and realized that she knew everyone here or had at least been introduced and had met on more than one occasion. Monte asked her to join him for a dance before James even had a chance and she was pleased enough to blush. Not from her chest; just her cheeks. The full chest to forehead blush was apparently reserved for James alone.

"Welcome back Lily. Maybe not why we would have had you return to us but we're glad you're here all the same; escaping from horrible people! James thought he was Godric Gryffindor himself! You know this highlights a problem. I would have made you a personal Portkey if I'd thought you'd need it. But this still highlights a problem. What if you needed to escape from worse than the Dursley's?" Monte leaned back and looked at Lily's feet. "You have been dancing with James, haven't you? I can tell, it's the way you follow."

"Thank you. I never really danced with anyone before James, well, except for my dad, now you mention it. So, you were saying?"

"Right, I think we need to come up with a way for anyone in distress but can't Apparate yet let alone, send a wandless-talking Patronus, to escape. Most adults can Apparate, Portkeys are supposed to require a permit but most families have one. Perhaps portable personal Portkeys ... there's an idea though they'd probably be illegal too. I have never been too fussed about breaking laws; so many of them are nothing more than a way for the Ministry to control the population and keep tabs on law-breakers like me. We were just fortunate that you knew the Dursley's address and that we were able to bring that particular Muggle Floo on line. Can't always do that since some Muggles don't use their fire places for a proper fire anymore. Tonight, highlights a flaw in our system especially with war right outside our door. Oh, and Lily! Lily love, never go anywhere without your wand again. Promise me."

"You're right of course. I promise Monte to never go anywhere without my wand. At least Apparation lessons start this term and I come of age very soon. That will help."

"Not if something like this or worse happens before then."

"Then what are you thinking? I know that gleam; I've seen it in your son's eyes. Sirius mentioned the idea of personal, portable, portals once ... I guess that would have been like a Portkey. But anyway, I can tell. You're up to something."

"Well maybe. I taught the boys to produce Patronuses last summer. Maybe we could start your lessons on Apparation now, before you go back for second term. You'd be illegal but, Apparating, but in my home, you are under my protection and I have every right to teach you anything I choose to teach you as long as you freely choose to learn. What's the saying, better to ask forgiveness than permission or some such."

"That's the one! I'd love to learn about Apparation early. Who knows, I conjured my Patronus without a wand when I felt it was an emergency? How much more difficult could Apparation be? I'm joking of course. I'm sure it's very difficult magic and they say that there's a lot of nausea involved and the possibility of splinching. Still, the more we know now the better, right?"

"I like you Lily. I like your spirit and I like the way your mind works. Excellent random access, you can keep up and it's not really a teachable skill. It's a gift you know to be able to think the way you do. Most can only think forward or backward or sideways or up-down at one time but you are able to do all three at once. It's like music to hear you think."

"Wow Monte, thanks! I'm sure most people just think I can't hold a train of thought. I nearly always have many thoughts going but to me they are all related really. I can follow any of them in any direction; it's more like a thought web than a line of thinking. You know who else does that? Your son! James thinks like me! I've only just realized. Dancing with you sure leads to revelations Monte."

"Monte, may I cut in?" Sirius strolled up and winked at Lily.

"Certainly Sirius. It's been lovely Lily, very thought provoking!"

Lily blushed but Monte was off making his way to Dumbledore.

"You must have got Monte thinking Flower; it's dangerous when Monte gets started. He looked positively gleeful. James gets his mischievous streak from both his parents! Can you imagine? Twice cursed! Monte will be off plotting now, probably with Dumbledore. What were you two up to?"

"Hey Sirius. I think he wants to teach us how to Apparate before Apparation classes. He's thinking ahead I 'spect. Thanks for your help tonight. It was awful! That came out wrong! The dinner with the Dursley's was awful. Your help was stellar!"

"My pleasure Flower. Marauder's look out for each other. Nice wandless magic by the way, you're the toast of the party! The Profs are chuffed! So, tell me everything!"

Monte found Albus near Wik at the piano humming along to the tune Wik was playing. "Albus we need to talk. I've just been chatting with Miss Lily and I see another flaw in our already flawed system. You're my coconspirator in all things flawed; join me in The Study for a moment, will you?"

"Only if you're offering a very large brandy!" The two wizards made a less than discrete exit. Lily and Sirius were watching.

"Professor Dumbledore and Monte look like they're up to something Sirius. They remind me of you and James. Too bad we can't listen in." Lily said nodding toward the two wizards as they made their way to The Study.

"Who says we can't listen in Flower. I can disillusion us and you cast a fine _Sonorus_. Follow me."

Sirius and Lily snuck around the long way to the balcony off of Monte's study, disillusioned. "Wow this is weird Sirius, being disillusioned! Almost makes me sick to watch us!"

"Then don't watch Flower and shush, they can still hear us!" It was chilly out here but there was a grand outdoor fireplace on this balcony so it wasn't freezing. The balcony door was wide open ... Probably had a heating charm on the exit. They were very quiet and stayed to the shadows. Lily cast _Sonorus_ and she and Sirius listened. They had missed some of the conversation but they'd take what they could get.

"….. Monte, Lily will be seventeen in less than a month and I had thought to approach her then but now I'm not so sure. They are all such close friends, I don't think I can ask one without asking all of them. None of them, could keep such a secret from each other and frankly I wouldn't want them to. Maybe we should hold off; couple of months would make little difference really to the Order, it's still early days but it might make a world of difference to them. Just look how much they have matured this term! They will all have their Apparation licenses soon. Furthermore, we all agreed that under-seventeens were off limits. Regarding Apparation, Monte, you are James's father and have a perfect right to teach your son anything that you choose. Lily is a willing student and it is your right to educate those under your protection in any manner you deem necessary. Sirius is legal adult now so certainly he should learn. I was amazed quite frankly that Sirius insisted on waiting for James."

"Brothers! He's a good boy, Sirius. Well, a boy no longer. Then we start tomorrow! Surely, she is ready. Look at the magic she pulled off tonight. I'd say let her start to harness as much of her magic as possible and soon. These are dark times Albus and try though I might ... I worry. We've lived our lives but they are just starting out. Why is it Albus that no one's just killed Voldemort already?"

"I don't know Monte. I've wondered the same. Tom Riddle. Tom Riddle. How did such a gifted student as Tom Riddle turn out to be one of the most feared wizards in history? Well, Gellert, sadly was just the same or, turned out the same in the end. Still, killing is not that easy a thing to do even if it is for the greater good." Dumbledore looked at his old friend and Monte nodded knowingly. "One thing's for sure, we won't be able to keep any of this from them for much longer. Were it not for the distraction provided by Regulus and Severus, I have no doubt that James, Sirius, Remus and Peter would know far more than they do now and in turn their Minions would know. Minions! What a delightfully apt moniker? It's all thanks to that handy cloak you gave to James, he can spy on whoever he likes. I also think they have other methods though for the life of me, I've yet to figure out what these methods are. They use the Room of Requirement frequently now but their use of the secret passageways out of the castle and out of bounds are way down. It's a puzzle."

Sirius was holding his breath. Monte knew all about the Marauder's Map; he'd mapped his own house using their methods. Would he tell Dumbledore about what this one secret method was?

"That's my boy! The Room of Requirement. Do you remember Albus, all the things you got up to in there? I certainly have fond memories of that room. So, then Apparation lessons early." Sirius and Lily both breathed a sigh of relief but kept listening intently.

"Monte, you know as well as I do an Apparation license is just a way for the Ministry to keep tabs on who can and does Apparate."

"And those foolish enough to be willing to be monitored by allowing these skills be licensed!" Monte added with a grimace. "Since when did all the finer magic skills become something to be licensed, Albus? I wonder sometimes who's side, they're on; The Ministry. If they weren't mostly trolls I'd think that they were watching us! Well, at least we still have some skills that are private. Full disclosure! Not on my life will I ever agree with full disclosure! It's a load of tosh! I can hear Cornelius now. _It's the law and it's meant to protect us!_ What a sycophant! Wants to be Minister you know? Not that Harold is a great Minister either but the day Fudge becomes Minister is the day I eat my wand. Millicent, wouldn't be too bad, I suppose, at the very least she encourages honesty from those around her rather than blind followers. Protect us my eye, it's more like legalized spying! But, I better not get started or I'll never sleep tonight. Well then, it's decided. We hold off on The Order until the end of March, when they will all be of age."

"I think it's best. Don't want to add anything to their lives that will serve to divide them."

"You're right Albus, I don't want there to be secrets between James and Lily or James and Sirius. Or Sirius and Mars. Or any of them for that matter. Frankly I don't think they'd keep the secret from each other no matter what we wanted. It's best that they trust each other completely as there's relative safety in numbers."

"You're a wise wizard Monte. Anyone ever tell you that? We should rejoin the party as, our absence will not be missed." The two wizards topped off their brandies and left The Study chatting about lighter topics as they went. Lily and Sirius exhaled.

"Sirius! It was in the Prophet clear back first day of class remember. When they accused Monte of being a vigilante! So there really is an Order. Remember; The Order of the Phoenix. Monte is a vigilante! Let's go tell James!"

"We need a meeting. We're all here. Let's gather everyone in my room say in ten minutes."

"Sirius, wait! That's way too obvious. Let's tell James and Mars first and then we'll spread the word, you know ...like Marauders."

"You're right. Well spotted. I have been known to barrel in when I should've treaded lightly. James catches me at it all the time. Thanks. You really are a Marauder!"

"Hey you two! What's up? You look like you're up to something."

"James! Your timely. We've got loads to tell you. I'll go get Mars. Meet you in your room Sirius, in five."

"OK. What have we stumbled into Pads?"

"Loads Prongs! We've stumbled into loads. C'mon let's get up to my room ... I said we'd meet there."

The four met in Sirius's room. It was Lily's first time in this room and if she hadn't known better, she'd have thought Sirius was a Muggle. All his wall decorations, posters and the like were Muggle; stationary motorcycles with lovely frozen girls dressed in short shorts and bandana bras, rock-n-roll bands that Lily listened to every summer. Muggle sports like rugby and even cricket. Cricket? She'd have to ask about that.

"Sirius, I thought you were a wizard. Rugby, I can almost see but Cricket?"

"Flower, I'll have you know that James gave me that poster and we play! We play both Rugby and Cricket, we've actually improved it. We've even played tennis, remember James? Gawd we were terrible but it was fun! Mars was fabulous though weren't ya Mars? Kicked our butts, two against one, it was embarrassing really. Your long lovely legs in those sexy tennis skirts ... my oh my!"

"You're ridiculous Sirius! Now, spill! Why have you got us cloistered up here, huh? What's up?" Mars plopped onto his bed and looked up at the rest of them expectantly.

"I'm with you Mars. What's up?" James dove over her in sexy bloke fashion winking at Lily mid-flight and plopped down next to Mars and she flew up in response to the bouncing of the bed.

Lily and Sirius took it in turns to explain all that they had heard. James and Mars listened attentively and didn't interrupt or ask a single question until they were finished.

"Nice bit-o-snooping Lily, you make the Marauder in me proud."

"Thanks James."

"Oi! What mischief are you up to now?" Remus teased as he entered Sirius's room, followed by Dor, Pete and Mary.

"So much for subtle word of mouth communication, eh Flower?"

"Well … get in here and close the door! We've got loads to tell you."

Together, Lily and Sirius re-described the conversation they overheard between Monte and Dumbledore.

"So, your dad is a vigilante! Excellent!" chimed Dor.

"I guess he is if you mean that he is working with a group of like-minded people, to bring down Voldemort and his Death Eaters."

"Working outside the law James." Remus corrected. "That is so cool!"

"It's a good thing James! And, pretty much the definition of vigilante." Dor added enthusiastically.

"The Order of the Phoenix. I like it. But they won't recruit us 'till we are seventeen?" Remus asked.

"Apparently not. But … that doesn't mean that we can't be helping. We gather intelligence anyway so we carry on. Only our objectives have changed. We decide what we share. If they can, why not us? We share what we decide they have a need to know." Sirius added.

"You should be proud of your dad James! Working undercover to do what the Ministry seems unable to do. I think he's brilliant!" Mary chimed.

"Thanks Mary. I suppose he is brilliant. But someone knows something or it wouldn't have been in The Prophet. I'd like to find out who the hell knows so much about my dad's private business! It bothers me to think that someone, who, I might add we don't know is informing The Profit on my dad, the order…we have a double agent inside Hogwarts! A spy! I'd bet it's Snivellus! Well maybe but I can't see how he'd know so much about my dad. His is an Occlumens but they've never even met. " James said with worry in his eyes.

"Well then, that will be part of the intelligence we gather then. I am sure we can learn a lot more than either your dad or Dumbledore realize and make our own contribution to this Order, even before we join up." Dor added. She was very enthusiastic.

"It sounds dangerous to me." Pete volunteered, then instantly looked like he regretted voicing his thoughts.

"It's a dangerous world Pete. Sadly, we are a part of that dangerous world. Mary's attack is evidence of that." Remus added evenly.

"Mary will have nothing to do with this!" Pete argued.

"Who says? Pete, you can't make decisions like that for me! I have compelling reasons to help put an end to all this; more so that the rest of you lot, combined!" Mary argued right back, directing her defense mostly at Pete but eyeing the others with challenging looks.

"She's right, Pete. It's not our place or your place to decide who contributes to this work. Mary has every right to make a difference, same as you or me!" James said.

"Thank you, James! Pete, I have to be able to defend myself and this is one way that I can do that. By helping gather information for this Order, I might be able to prevent someone else being attacked. I'm not the only Muggle-born in Gryffindor House! What if they target Lily next, eh?"

James blanched at Mary's words suddenly empathizing with Pete. He was concerned for Mary's safety and now, James was felt exactly the same way about Lily. What if Lily was a target? Surely Snape could keep his nasty little Death Eater friends off Lily; the apparent love of his life! Then again, he didn't trust Snape especially where his feelings for Lily were concerned. He could easily picture Snape setting up something with Lily as a target and then zooming in to rescue her in some contrived scheme. It made his stomach turn and his blood boil. The thought of Lily being a target made his skin crawl and he decided then and there to never let her out of his sight again, absolutely never!

"You know, the sneak could actually be a member of the Order. They could be in your home right now James." Lily added with a horrified look on her face.

"Flower's right James. I hate to think it but it could be true." Remus added.

A vixen Patronus appeared in Sirius's room. It spoke in Euphie's voice...

 _Almost midnight! Hurry down!_

"We better go down. If we don't they'll think we're up to something." Sirius said smiling and eyeing Mars suggestively.

"Since when have we ever been up to things Sirius?" Remus teased.

"C'mon! It's almost nineteen seventy-seven. Lily, walk with me." James said reaching his hand out to Lily and leading her out of Sirius's bedroom. "She meant you too Pads so no hanky-panky now. Mum will know where to find you!"

At three 'till midnight everyone at Potter Manor was gathered around the largest balcony that looked out toward the ocean. There was a grand fire going and there were warming spells placed over the entire space. Monte had set up a pyrotechnic display to go off the instant it was midnight.

"Everyone have champagne?" Monte asked jovially. "A toast then! To the best of friends, to love and to health in the coming year! Nineteen seventy-seven!" They raised their glasses and held on to their partners and friends and then the light show began!

The display was not just colored explosions. Lily saw inspiration similar to the falling star display that the Marauders gifted Hogwarts with exactly four months ago but on a more sophisticated level. There were sparks but there were also great sheets of colored plasma like the northern lights that moved in great swaths and waves. The colors swirled and wove around and between itself and the observers. They reached high into the sky and dipped down low, close enough to the balcony to touch. It was like a fluid you could run fingers through. It was beautiful magic. It inspired oohs and aahs from everyone watching.

When Monte's marvelous magical display came to its choreographed end everyone returned to The Ball Room and slowly made their way through the house to The Mud Room. All the guests were firstly friends and exchanged hugs and actual cheek kisses vowing to stay in touch. Lily actually believed they would keep these vows, these bonds of real friendship were quite unlike the vows she imagined were occurring even now at the Dursley's. Several house elves were there to find individual Cloaks and to retrieve used Potter socks and find shoes. The guests left Potter Manor in small groups that trooped through the tunnel to the Gazebo.

Lily and Hero curled up on the sofa in the Great Room to enjoy the Christmas tree one last time; it would be taken down tomorrow, all the delicate ornaments packed safely away for another year. James curled up next to her, his head on her lap right next to Hero who permitted this. Euphie took these quieter moments to visit with Lily; James, Monte and Sirius didn't interrupt her or offer an opinion, they just listened.

"Lily you must stay as long as you like, as long as you need. I wouldn't be too keen on returning home either, if I were you. We are so pleased you looked to James for help. This rift between you and your family is terrible but it is more common than you might think. Muggle-borns nearly always come to this place in life, a crossroad, where they feel that they have to choose. Some have more open-minded siblings so their choice doesn't seem so drastic. I take it your parents accept your magic?"

"They do. They always have done but I'm still unusual to them."

"Lily you are an unusual witch too. Your magic is extraordinary. You will always attract attention Lily. I'm certain our guests have your name on all their lips as we speak."

"I s'pose. I do tend to attract attention, I always have done; Petunia always hated it. People have stared at me my whole life, being a tiny, pale ginger. What's worse, I don't seem to have developed a thick enough skin, so to speak. I don't like being a topic of conversation or being stared at."

"May I offer you some advice Lily? Feel free to say no."

"Yes please. I care what you think."

"Here at home, you and James must feel free to allow your relationship to grow; take its natural course. Out there however, tongue's will wag."

"Sirius has advised much the same. He and Mars have kept their relationship mostly quiet so far. We all did have an official date the last night at Hogwarts so it's out there. But James thinks that we can keep ourselves out of the wand light by just behaving as we did before Christmas. It seems there is always a need to hide wherever I am."

"We have been in hiding for centuries Lily. Still, you must trust that in a better world, a world free of the likes of Voldemort and his Death Eaters all our lives would be different. Feuds between families with different values should be nothing more than that, feuds, disagreements that dictate betrothal and guest lists but stop short of war and murder. Duels perhaps but a duel is a long way from a war. Something shameful in the wizarding psyche has been tapped again. Last time, it was Grindelwald and the same darkness has returned courtesy of Voldemort. Muggles too, have yet to learn this lesson. Muggles war all the time. Hitler, Mussolini, Vietnam Nam. It's the absurd notion of purity or of cultural superiority ... It must be a universal human weakness. But, it's natural as well to seek safety. In the current climate, well ... none of us is safe exactly but we should strive to be as safe as possible. I do not say this only to protect James. I say this to protect everyone I love. That's why I think you should stay with us until school resumes. Look at what Sirius had to go through to be safe. Your escape is no less than that; escape. People like your sister Petunia and her betrothed...Vermin, is it?"

"It's Vernon but Vermin is fitting. And his sister Marge. I thought of Sirius's mum when she opened her mouth and spewed her bile."

"As I said, we have always needed to hide Lily but from Muggles. We should not have to hide from other wizards! But you've no need to hide here. You will stay and learn to Apparate. We will think of some way to handle the situation with your parents; I'm sure that you miss them."

"I do. But I also feel like an alien in their world. It's too much to think about."

"Yes, it is and it's time to rest your brilliant brain and quiet your mind. Let's all go to bed."

Suddenly the night caught up to Lily. She was actually exhausted. The whole of last week, missing James and being trapped in the Muggle world for four days, the dreadful dinner party, her desperate escape, news of The Order, the light show, it had been a lot for one day. Euphie and Monte kissed all three of them on the forehead and they proceeded up the spiral stairway together. Lily, James and Sirius followed, Hero at Lily's feet between her and James.

"Night guys."

"Night Sirius.

James walked Lily to her room, hugging her goodnight. "Sleep well Lily. You too Hero. I'll see you in the morning. I'll sleep much better now knowing you're here."

"I will too. Night James."

Lily entered her bedroom. The fire had been stoked and her bed looked like heaven. She changed into her pajamas and she and Hero curled up beneath James's quilt. She didn't even remember falling asleep.


	18. Chapter 18 No Reason at All

**Chapter 18 No Reason At All**

James woke the following morning irritated and not knowing why until he remembered Mary's words last night: _Lily could be next_. These words came unbidden to James's waking conscious and suddenly his heartbeat galloped, thundering inside his chest. He sat bolt upright, sweating like a beast. He felt sick. He was accustomed to worry; he was a worrier and worriers worry but this was a new and terrifying level of worry. They were all still here, at home and quite safe but he realized he was scared. No, not scared, terrified. It was not a familiar feeling. None the capers the Marauders got up to ever made him feel like this, terrified and afraid. Well, maybe when Sirius nearly got Snape killed he'd actually been afraid then, for Remus and even for Snape. But this fear was quite different. This was not fear of getting into trouble or serving detentions with Filch or disappointing someone. This was not fear of injury or pain or even his own death. This was the fear that resulted from love. This was fear for Lily. Fear for her safety, fear for her Life. It was paralyzing and he felt … panic for the first time in his life. His mind started racing and his vision was tunneling and his heart was beating so hard he could see it through his skin of his chest and he couldn't breathe! He had to find Sirius, NOW!

Bolting from bed, dragging on pajamas and charging down the stairs, he found Sirius, drinking coffee, barefoot in the kitchen. He burst into the kitchen and Sirius turned to look at him.

"What the bloody hell's the matter James?" Sirius set his coffee down and marched toward him. "What's happened? What's wrong? James?" James looked like a deer in dragon sight. Sirius had never seen James look like this: feral with fear. Sirius took James by the shoulders and shook him then looked at his face again. "James? Sit down." James didn't move so Sirius sat him down in a kitchen chair and began to talk him down. "Breath with me James. Here, give me your hand." He placed James's hand right over his own heart and held it there. Sirius held James's palm, fast to his chest and took deliberate deep breaths, slowly inhaling and slowly exhaling, over and over, never looking away from James face. Time passed …

"Pads? What just happened? How did I get here?" James pleaded.

Sirius held a shushing finger to James's face for a solid minute, feeling for his heartbeats to slow and his breathing to deepen.

"You were having a panic attack Prongs. You must have known I'd be here. Just breath with me for a bit longer; your heart is still beating too fast."

James removed his glassed and dropped his face into his hands while Sirius placed one hand on James's head his other held fast to Sirius's heart, hoping to ground him. James realized he'd been sweating. "Sorry 'bout that. I don't know what happened I … I … I got scared Pads."

"Just breath with me a bit longer James and then we can talk about it."

The two wizards sat like this for quite some time, alone in the kitchen, Sirius's hand moved to James's back and James's face remained in his own hands while James, with Sirius's help, regained self-control and mastered his fear.

"That was bloody awful! I've never felt like that before." James said as his face rose and he put his glasses back on. Their eyes met. Sirius's eyes were full of compassion and concern.

"We'll figure it out James. Now why don't you tell me all about how this started, eh? Here. Drink some water." Sirius handed James a glass; from where it came James didn't actually know. He drank the whole glass and gave it back to Sirius.

"I got scared Pads. I mean really scared! Terrified like I've never been before. All I could hear in my head was _Lily could be next_." James confessed.

"We'll take time to talk, just the two of us, before we leave. In the meantime, we've got to let it go for now or Flower will catch on." Sirius said seriously.

"You're right. I can't let Lily see me like this. Bloody hell! What if that happens when my actions matter? What if it happens when we're not home. What if it happens when she needs me?" James pleaded.

"It won't. I'll explain why when we can talk properly but it won't."

James didn't look satisfied with that answer so Sirius elaborated. "Panic usually happens when a person feels powerless. If Flower needed you, you would act and not _feel_ powerless."

James eyes focused on that notion and his shoulders gave a little, his wild-eyed look took on a purposeful intent and Sirius knew the worst of it was over.

"We'll talk it through today. Some time when Flower and Mars are busy and we can hash it out, just the two of us. Alright?"

"Yea. Sure. I mean, of course, you are right." James took a few more, deep, slow breaths, his heart was slowing and his visual field widened. He rubbed his face with his hands and looked out the kitchen windows. Then, as only James could do, he opened the doors to the balcony and marched right out through the snow, barefoot and washed his face in the snow. He pulled his PJ's right over his head and washed his chest, neck and arms, he washed his armpits and his hair. He stood in the freezing snow for at least a minute before returning to the kitchen. He left his PJ top off and used a kitchen towel to dry himself off (Wik would be disgusted) then he stood in front of the fire to warm back up. Sirius didn't interrupt this at all, on the contrary, he approved, and while James was getting warm, Sirius snuck up to James's room and returned with clean PJ's and fresh, warm socks. James dressed right there in the kitchen and Sirius took his wet things to the laundry shoot. Then James sat back down at the kitchen table, looking much more like himself and poured a cup of strong black coffee. Sirius added cream and suger which James didn't usually take but James drank it all the same. It wasn't the traditional strong sweet tea Brits usually prescribed but it did the trick. After his first cup, Sirius went to the liquor cabined and returned to the kitchen table and added a healthy measure of Fire Whiskey to James's cup. He obediently drank this too.

"For the shock," Sirius said. "Better?"

"Better."

"Besides, we are doing Apparation today with your dad so that is something we can do to help her stay safe. She'll be down any minute so let's talk about something different but still related. You know it's always easier to lie while also telling the truth. The Order. We can discuss the Order."

"Thanks Pads. That is where this all started." James was shaking the episode off now, he got up, shakily at first but deliberately walked around his kitchen, one foot in front of the other, like a mantra, until he starting feeling somewhat normal. Then he slowed to a pace his kitchen, to and fro, in front of the windows. Finally, James had no idea how much time had actually passed, he was nearly normal and could think purposeful thoughts. His mind for cast around for ideas to start the conversation. It never convinced anyone when a conversation seemed forced. Lily would know if she found them discussing anything but last night. He walked to the table, poured himself some a third cup, black this time coffee and went back to looking out the windows.

"So, what do you think about this Order of the Phoenix?" James asked distractedly.

Sirius smiled. James would be OK for now. "I'll bet you anything it's what Reg wanted to get outta Lily. Those idiots at the Prophet. But I guess some of their facts were right; Monte is involved."

"Apparently he is. I s'pose he's an actual vigilante." James conceded. "Mum must be too."

"Well, then Dumbledore is too. It is a secret society, outside the law. He's a member of a self-appointed group of citizens who undertake law enforcement in their community without legal authority. Typically, because the legal agencies are thought to be inadequate and The Ministry is proving to be just that so, they actually are vigilantes. Imagine ... Fleamont Potter: Potioneer, Duelist, Philanthropist, Vigilante! That has to be one of this term's goal Prongs, to gather information for the Order. I wonder how involved Monte is?" Sirius finished, happy to have James back.

"Hopefully he's just funding it. I'd hate to think they also want him involved for his dueling skills. He's too old for that! Hasn't been in a real duel for ages! Not to mention his Dragon Pox! Apart from mum, I wonder who else is involved?" James asked looking pensive and proud in equal measure. "It's freezing in here!" James had started to shiver and tremble. He looked to Sirius for answers and they came easily.

"It's just the aftermath of panic Prongs and your snow bath! Here." Sirius tossed him a random jumper left on the back of a kitchen chair and James set his coffee down, removed his glasses and tugged the jumper over his head. Replacing his glasses, he looked at Sirius's face and saw his brother smiling that smile that broke witch's hearts and James started to laugh. What gave James the right to panic about imagined fears when Sirius actually knew real fear? James smiled back and focused his attention on the bravest wizard he'd ever known; Sirius Black.

"It's not only the good guys are involved Prongs. Someone is a snitch I intend to find out who they are."

But James, I'm of age now you know so, whatever it is, whatever their involvement, I could join up now, right? Dumbledore just said members had to be of age; he said nothing about them still being students. Get the low down for everyone who's interested?"

"Well who have we got here? Good morning Hero. How'd ya sleep?" James asked Hero as he made his morning appearance. Hero walked over to James and nuzzled his ankles, walking around them and back again. James sat on the floor to give him a good morning scratch. "Is your mistress still sleeping?" Hero didn't answer apparently preferring to have his full attention.

"Hero knows. He can smell it on me, fear."

"Well fortunately kneazles can't talk so I think your secret is safe." Sirius said reasonably.

The day was clear and it looked cold. James, Sirius and Hero sat by the kitchen fire, normalcy reestablished, the wizards were enjoying their morning coffee, Hero was gamboling about with his siblings who popped in for a visit. James and Sirius sat in easy silence, together looking out at the snow and wondering privately about the Order. They did not mention James's growing fear again and wouldn't until they were certain to be alone. Lily arrived in the kitchen about a half hour later.

"Good morning Marauders. Happy New Year." Lily came over to the table by the fireplace, poured herself a steaming mug of coffee and wandered over to look out the great windows. Hero followed her. "So, what's the plan today? Good morning Hero." She said fondly looking down at her marvelous magical beast.

"Morning Flower." Sirius said between sips of coffee.

"Morning Lily." James rose came right over to Lily and stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and she leaned back into him. "How'd you sleep?"

"Well James, really well. I sleep great here. So, what do you think I should do about my parents, their memory and going home?"

Something of immediate value presented itself and secretly James and Sirius were glad of it. Sirius spoke first and James was glad of that.

"If it were me Flower, I'd leave their memories modified and stay here with us for the rest of the holiday. It's only a couple more days and as long as your parents can't get their feelings hurt ... I don't see that there's a problem. Remember, you're snowed in here, at least that's what they remember. It's not your fault as far as they're concerned."

"I just feel like a terrible daughter. Shouldn't I want to go back; spend the rest of the holiday with them?"

"You'd be a terrible daughter if you didn't think that you could be a terrible daughter." Sirius said sagely.

"That's the Sirius I'm getting to know; the wise wizard! Thanks. Still, I'm not sure how I feel about it. I've changed so much since September that I don't recognize who she was, September Lily. I don't want to go back to my parent's house; it's were September Lily lived. It's a Muggle house in the Muggle world and as much as they love me, I'm still unusual there, even to them. I love them dearly but I don't belong there anymore. Their Lily is present but the rest of her is in hiding behind her protective shell and all the while, I am just wishing I were back in the magic world where I can be all of me. I feel like I have already left home and I just haven't told them."

"Maybe you have Flower. You felt the need to escape and your heart chose to be here with us. It's exactly the same thing I did so believe me I understand. Well, at least your parents love you; I didn't have that but I do feel like a terrible brother. Maybe you're right where you belong and you're just recognizing that now. You'll be of age in no time anyway so, technically, you don't ever have to go back again."

"My parents are Muggles and Muggle law is eighteen for adulthood Sirius." Lily countered.

"Yes, but _you_ are not a Muggle Flower. You are a witch so wizarding law applies to you. It takes precedent especially as your safety and wellbeing are in question."

James listened to this exchange. Lily was alright even if she was having issues. They needed to be addressed. And selfishly, it gave James a focus, something he could do in the here and now of benefit to her. "Lily? What do you want to do?"

"I dunno. Drink this coffee and wake up so I can decide."

"Alright. So, coffee, breakfast and then we'll figure out what to do. Maybe mum and dad know more about the specifics of your parent's memory modification; might shed light on a solution."

"You're right. Both of you are right. An answer will come."

"Morning all! Still no travel permitted; just heard it on the wireless." Euphie entered her kitchen and got straight to the heart of Lily's issue.

"According to the transcript from some of our Ministry insiders, all your parents know is that you are snow bound in Scotland with us Lily. They know that you can't get back until the weather permits. The Ministry sent a representative to their home today to explain about the unprecedented weather system and they have sent a response back. It's addressed to you."

Dearest Lily,

We gather that you are stranded in Scotland and we want you to know we love you and we understand that we may not see you again before second term begins. We're just glad that you're with people who will make sure you're safe. These things happen Lily so don't fret, we will see you very soon. We spent a dreadful evening with the Dursley's; Vernon proposed! So, as you can imagine, Petunia was in rare form! Obviously, she's monopolizing all our time now with a wedding to plan. We feel certain that were you here now, all the two of you would do is row. We feel better knowing that you are somewhere with friends who love you rather than here with your sister. We'll arrange for a Petunia free weekend or some such and let you know; we don't feel like sharing you anyway. Enjoy your holidays! Thank the Potter's for taking care of you.

All our love, Mum and Dad

Lily read the letter through and then heaved a sigh. "I guess I was worried for no reason. I have never spent the Holidays without them so maybe I was just missing them and feeling a bit guilty. Because of me their memories were modified! It is something to feel guilty about for sure."

"There can be too much truth in any relationship Lily. Besides, it's not exactly a secret, it's more like privacy. Besides which, I am sure they would have been far more furious with your sister's behavior and 'The Dursley's than they would be with yours. They need to know only that you love them and are thinking of them. Why not send your doe with all your love?"

"Thank you, Euphie. I feel rather like a naughty child who got away with it. So, if travel is not permitted yet, how did everyone get here last night?"

"Lily, Hogwarts is quite close to here. A Floo from there to here is permitted; it's well within the green."

"So then why The Hogwarts Express? I mean if you are closer to school than to platform nine and three-quarters why do you take the train James?"

Monte entered his kitchen and answered before James opened his mouth. "School is about more than just being there Lily; it's a rite of passage. James deserved to enjoy the whole of the experience. To take the train, see Hogwarts for the first time sharing the traditional boat trip across the lake with his fellow first year's, just like every other student, you see?"

"I do. How wonderful! You're, wonderful parents, you know."

"Thank you, Lily. We try. He was an unexpected but a forever desired blessing so we are quite sentimental where our James is concerned. So, are you three, game for some Apparation lessons?" Monte rubbed his hands together like he couldn't wait to get started. "I could probably get ole Wilkie to make it official or we could just mess around ourselves. I, of course would choose the latter."

James, Lily and Sirius looked at each other and nodded their agreement then, in unison, voiced their choice. "The latter!"

"Then you have research to do first. Library time under the 'A's'. Sirius, you should gazebo over to The McKinnon's and collect Mars."

Sirius hastened to comply and went upstairs for a quick shower first. She didn't need collecting but Monte seemed to know that she brought the gentleman out in Sirius and Sirius actually liked him; Mars' Sirius; the Sirius who was a gentleman, who's manners were not for show but were genuine, an expression of respect and love for his people. He also liked the Sirius who knew that he mattered to the lives of the people who loved him.

James and Lily went straight to the library to begin their research of Apparation.

"I can see why you had to learn your library as a young wizard James! Quite the wizard version of McGonagall you've got for a dad! Research? Surely he already knows all there is to know about Apparation?" Lily teased.

"He does. But we have to earn the knowledge. At least that is the way dad sees it. I think he's right in this. He always made me research things he already knew. Did the same with Sirius and Remus every summer. He'd say he needed to know this or further clarification on that just to keep us using the library. Of course, it was all a lie; dad knows everything but it was a good way to make us feel like we were making a contribution to our own skills. He flat refused to teach us something new if we didn't agree to put in library time, it helped me learn to read my seven languages and gave us time to feel proud about we'd discovered rather that what we were taught. There's a difference between these two methods of learning. And then we had to demonstrate to him what we had learned; the third teacher. Dad insists on all three. He would have made a great teacher, my dad."

James placed his coffee down and went to the A section and pulled books from the shelves as if by memory.

"Do Remus and Sirius read other languages too?"

"They do though I think Remus reads more than Sirius, This year, he'll add another with Runes."

"Dad would always say books held a world of answers that were exclusive to the reader, and I believed him; I still do, actually. When it was just us two, it was like a great mystery we were researching, just dad and I; I loved those hours spent with him in pursuit of answers to the next question. No matter what answers I came back with I'd always have more questions. He'd say that good answers should always lead to more questions, thus, our endless quest. It's funny, so much of what I've learned at Hogwarts was actually introduced to me at home. Don't get me wrong, we have great teachers, but my parents taught me to love learning. They were my first teachers and they started before I was even born. Mum read to me when I was in utero and played classical music all the time. She introduced me to art, music, culture and dad introduced me to written history, innovation and magical skill. I've been a student for as long as I can remember."

"James do you remember the first time that you, Sirius and Remus tutored us on transfiguration?"

"Of course, I do Lily; I told you, I remember everything."

"Well, I learned more with you lot in that hour than I have learned in some lessons with McGonagall. You even answered my questions before I asked them. Your parents did right by you teaching you everything they could. You're probably the most humble, brilliant wizard I know. In my experience humility and brilliance aren't often paired traits. All those 'O's you earned, well ... they were well earned."

"Thank you, Lily. I used to come in here when I was bored or curious or whatever, close my eyes and point to a volume and just curl up in my niche and read. Reading is the great escape! Helped me keep my mind off of things, ya know; stuff I couldn't fix or even understand."

"What could you have possibly needed to understand James or fix? Nothing would be beyond you."

"You were. You were beyond me Lily and I was always so confused."

Lily was shocked by his confession. "I was never beyond you James; I was just as confused as you were. The difference is you sought to understand it and you refused to give up! I practiced denial, hid behind Severus and just tried to pretend it was not what it is. I was scared you see?"

"Yea. I was scared too but I am stubborn. I wasn't about to give up. I just always felt that my life was meant to be all about you, Lily."

It seemed that Sirius got lost on his way to Mars' house. Figuring they needed some time alone, James and Lily followed his example. Apparently, and Lily was certain it was the work of Wik, James's niche had need of another chair, a larger table and some coffee. They levitated books from the first floor and then, James and Lily climbed up the ladder and tackled the first selection of reading on the table between them. When they finished with those, they proceeded to the rest of the 'A's on the second floor.

"So, destination, determination and deliberation; where you want to go, mind set on going there and moving through space purposefully. Yes?"

"Exactly. Lily I better confess. I already know how to Apparate. Dad taught us last summer but I haven't had the opportunity or need to do so and because of that, I haven't done it for months. I might be "a bit rusty." He said this with his face mimicking McGonagall's and Lily appreciated his candor. Then James attempted a sheepish look and Lily just grinned and laughed out loud.

"Well...I'm not surprised. I'd be surprised actually if you didn't know how to already. You seem to know everything before it's actually taught at school. Is there any magic that the rest of us are learning that you don't know already?"

"Maybe. I'm certainly not very talented in Potions. Dad hates that Potions is my most challenging subject. And I am not nearly as subtle in Charms as I should be; not like you. You are brilliant in Charms! A real Charmer!"

"A real Charmer? Very droll." Lily said sarcastically, shaking her head but smiling in spite of herself.

"Anyway, at first dad meant it to only be an introduction to the theory of Apparation, ya know? But Pads and I egged him on. He's a bit of a show off, my dad and once we got started we had to go all the way with it. Anyway, about today, once we've completed a summary for him, he'll take us to the dueling room and he will instruct you properly. The dueling room is the only room in our home with an Undetectable Extension Charm on it so large enough to practice Apparation. Its magic is tailored to advanced magical training."

"Well at least I know where the show off in you came from! Honestly James, you could've said."

"Only recently, could I have said! Before these last few months I would've thought it would make me me sound like that arrogant arse you once knew. I can imagine the hostile exchange now, in my head."

"Well, please don't articulate it! I'm not her anymore and you certainly aren't him! And stop remembering it! We weren't ready James. We both acted like children but we're not children anymore."

"You're right. We're not them and I won't. But you can see why I kept it on the down-low. I was determined not to row with you this year. It's worked so far."

"It has. I was equally determined, ya know. Not to not row, exactly but to get to know the real James Potter. I made a promise to myself and to Remus. Now I know."

James was taken aback by this so he chose to return to the present. They had books to replace they stood up and started replacing them. "Are we magical or not?" James started levitating them to their proper places and Lily followed suit as James continued to explain learning with Monte. "Dad is a big believer in home-schooling. Thinks that parents should be the first to teach their kids everything they know. I agree with him."

"Will there ever be an end to the mysteries of James Potter?" Lily asked looking up at him with such obvious affection that James had to swallow it down. It still was astonishing to James that Lily cared for him.

"Probably, but I hope not. A wizard has to know when to reveal his secrets Lily; keep you from becoming bored with me, see? Actually, it's another a goal of mine: to never become boring to Lily Evans." James said this as he closed the gap between them. Lily moved toward him as well, almost without thought.

"You think I could ever become bored with you? I'm not interested in you because you're a brilliant wizard James! At least that's not the only reason. You weren't that brilliant when you were eleven James!"

"You were interested in me when I was eleven?" James asked with incredulity.

"Ask Sirius." Lily had said too much but this time, she didn't mind.

"No. I'm asking you."

"Did you never think that I protested too much?"

"Not really. I was an idiot, show-off around you. I think your protests were justified."

"Well, we didn't fool anyone but ourselves James. All our friends and even Dumbledore knew I've fancied you forever. I didn't know it and apparently you didn't either but everyone else did."

"Well Lily, then I was, brilliant, actually. I mean, I fell for you." James looked at Lily for a while and she saw the change. He went from candid humility to confidence, to pleasure at looking at her face, to desire in a slow and controlled fashion. His eyes dilated and he moved closer still and placed his hand on her hip leaning nearer to her face. They could get all hot and bothered so quickly, without warning and it seemed to happen anywhere! She could feel his warmth and his scent filled her brain. He was very unsettling. His hands guided her hips toward his as he drank in the sight of her. No one had ever looked at Lily like this; like he owned her but would never take her or keep her. He'd always ask for her permission. He looked at her like she was the most desirable and glorious person he'd ever seen. She let him guide her body closer to his. He ran his thumbs along her curve of her hip and leaned closer still to breath her in.

"James?"

"Yes Lily." He whispered. She could feel his breath, hot on her neck and her ear and her breathing picked up to keep pace with her heart. She wanted him.

Lily leaned her whole body into his. She closed the space between them so they were touching from chest to feet. "Too bad you don't have that invisibility cloak of yours handy."

"Don't be too sure about that." He moved one hand from her hips and reached into the front pocket of his trousers and pulled the cloak out with a grin. "A brilliant wizard must always be prepared Lily and try to never become boring." He covered them in the cloak.

James never took his eyes off hers once and now they were hidden from view and he looked at her face. His lovely Lily. Her ginger-white skin kissed by angels flushed with heat for him; the freckles across her nose. Her ready lips were open and her eyes were on his face. He leaned back just enough to look at the flush of her chest and the curves it rose through. He placed his hand on her ribs and she leaned back to grant him access. His hand followed the curve of her breast around to her back. "You're like a banquet Lily and I don't know where to start."

"Start wherever you like James."

James thought he would climax right here in his library with Lily fully clothed. She was willing, interested, enthusiastic and responding to him! He kissed her, laying himself bare to her, all his desire, all his hope, all his love. This was the reason for everything. Between his kisses he spoke only to her, "Dad's in his lab, mum's in her greenhouse and Pads is at Mars'. We could sneak up to my room and never be missed?"

She took his hand and turned around, leading James back to the ladder. They climbed down the ladder and walked quietly, hand in hand through the house and up the spiral stairs, down the corridor to his bedroom door; his Invisibility Cloak on the whole time. James opened the door and together he and Lily stepped inside.

By early afternoon, Sirius found his way home with Mars. They caught up to James and Lily who were hard at work in his niche. "Been at it all this time?"

"At what?" Lily questioned a little too quickly.

"Studying. What else could you possibly have got up to Flower?" His smile far too knowing. His grey eyes flashed with mischief and they seemed to look at Mars of their own accord. Lily blushed from her chin to her ginger hair and Sirius just smiled. "Mars and I have been studying too, haven't we Mars?"

"Yes. Studying. We've been studying. I love studying!" It was Mars' turn to blush and her blue eyes twinkled with secrets. "So, Lily what have you learned?"

"Well, I'm not sure I should answer that! What have I learned? James what have we learned? I've learned that James is a wizard of hidden depths. He keeps secrets Mars." Lily was failing to steer the conversation away from private matters, James stepped in to save her from blundering on.

"I told Lily about our lessons with dad last summer: she knows."

"Oh! Well then, let's go to the dueling room and get after it then. I haven't Apparated for months!" Sirius said and took the lead with Mars' hand in his.

"Knows what? What does Lily know? Lily? What do you know? It's not fair if you three know?" Mars complained vociferously.

"I told you, you are brilliant James. Very well done." Lily whispered looking satisfied as if they dodged a bullet.

Once gathered in the dueling room Lily began to explore while Sirius explained to Mars about last year's Apparation lessons with Monte. She'd yet to be in this room and it seemed to be equipped for all manner of physical magic, dueling, transfiguration, charms. "So how do we begin?"

"I think a demonstration is in order! Whatdayasay Prongs? From this side of the room to that?"

"Why not? Put my skills on the line first thing." James spun on the spot and disappeared; reappearing on the other side of the room. Sirius followed suit and the witches applauded.

"Wow! How are we to follow that? I don't know about you Mars but suddenly, I feel like a first year!" Lily was bowled over with praise. "Now … you _are_ showing off, just in case you didn't know."

"We are." Sirius bragged.

"Well, I feel completely unprepared for this! How about you Lily?"

"Totally Mars! And with these two peacocks we will soon feel like first years."

"Now to the three D's. Think of coming to me Lily. I'm your destination. Focus only on being right here in front of me and be certain. That's the determination bit, you have to be intent on performing the spell even though it's non-verbal." James watched Lily look him over. "Lily? Are you thinking about Apparation?"

Lily was not. She blushed and looked away from him toward her feet. She shook it off and refocused her mind off James's body and on the spot of floor in front of him. She had to close her eyes to bring her attention to the task at hand.

"Now, imagine being here. Focus all your attention on being near me."

That made it much easier. She could easily focus on closing the gap between them and being right in front of James right now! She relaxed into the thought of being as close to James as the circumstances would allow, she spun on the spot and next thing she knew, they were sprawled on the floor. She and James were entangled but thankfully not accidentally joined in a some spooky splinching and she jumped up giggling, "I did it! I did it!"

"Terrible aim though. You knocked him flat, Flower. Apparate to him, not on him! Mind out of the gutter Flower! OK Mars, it's your turn. Come to Papa!"

"Well, for heaven's sake Sirius don't say it like that or I'll follow Lily's lead and Apparate on top of you!"

"I'm willing if you are!"

Mars smirked at Sirius then she closed her eyes, took control of her face which was smiling. She calmed and straightened her posture, her hair sheeting down her back. She thought of Sirius. Only of closing the gap between them and being right there with him. She spun on the spot, her electrum hair a sheet and she disappeared. She reappeared right in front of Sirius, on her feet with all the grace of a dancer. "Still willing?"

"Always willing, Mars. Always." Sirius looked at her and smiled that heartbreaking smile. Then they both giggled.

"I thought this was supposed to be very difficult magic? I didn't struggle at all." Lily looked at James with questions in her expression.

"Dad said it was best to have a desirable target to aim for. Sirius and I hoped that we would serve as that for the two of you. Besides Lily, neither of you are average witches. It may prove to be more challenging to Apparate somewhere else."

"Like where?" Lily looked around the room.

"Anywhere Lily, away from me. Pick a spot and will yourself to be there."

This is when the struggle with Apparation revealed itself. Try as she might Lily could not willingly Apparate away from James. It seemed that Mars had the same trouble.

"Well this is just bollocks! We're whipped Lily! Only able to Apparate toward our wizards? This simply won't do. We'll look like idiots in class. Sorry Professor Twycross but could Sirius Apparate there first. I can only Apparate toward him you see!" Mars spat looking very disappointed with her magic.

"Well Prongs. Now we've done it. How are we to remedy this? Let alone explain it to your dad?"

"I dunno." James conjured his stag and sent it to his dad with a plea for help. Monte showed up a few minutes later.

"Well, Mars there _is_ a first, something James doesn't know! Epic!"

"And to think Lily that we were here to witness it." Mars chortled.

"So, what's up?" Monte asked.

"Monte! We can only Apparate to them!" Mars blabbed in an exasperated way.

"Ah ... I see. Not uncommon Mars and not permanent either. It might take some time but we can sort this out. You too Lily?" She nodded. "No worries."

Thus, Apparation lessons began. James and Sirius stayed well out of Monte's instruction and at one point even left for a snack. Only once they were no longer in the room were the two witches able to Apparate to other locations around the room. Still, they were able which seemed like success. When James and Sirius returned, some three quarters of an hour later they were having fewer problems but still tended most of the time to Apparate toward their wizards.

Lily wasn't worried exactly but she felt like this magic was revealing far too much about her feelings for James. Just like her Patronus. Magic could do that. She would need to discipline her magic if she wanted to have any privacy at all.

"Lily try not to over think it. Sometimes our magic has a way of revealing the deepest desires of our hearts. If you had been close to James last summer when he was first learning I'm sure his heart would have revealed itself too and accidentally Apparated right into your living room at home! At least now you are _close_ _friends_ and not whatever you were before. You've got strong magic Lily. It's just quite focused on my son now. It will broaden as you learn to trust him."

"I do trust him Monte!"

"Well, then it will broaden when you can think of other things. Perhaps at Hogwarts, with so many other things to attend to, James will no longer be your sole focus of attention."

"I'm not at all sure that'll be true. But I'd like to think in class with everyone watching that I could Apparate somewhere else besides on top of your son! I do understand what you mean though. If my interests can't broaden then I expect I'll start failing classes and such. I'm kinda embarrassed really; my interest in your son showing up like that."

"Not to worry Lily. We noted your Patronus. It would be unnatural otherwise. It's common in adolescent witches and wizards to be a bit myopic and self-absorbed. Twycross knows this; he's been teaching adolescents since Merlin was in short pants. I thought this might happen and felt it would be better if it happened here, rather than at school."

"Oh. Well then, thanks for that. Mars too?"

"Definitely! They have been circling one another for quite long enough. Eventually, those kinds of feelings must be expressed. Otherwise even your magic could be effected. Now that your feelings are out in the open, at least here, your magic can rebalance itself. Just be patient Lily. Love happens to the best of us if we're lucky."

James and Sirius enjoyed some blatant showing off! They did some point Apparating and then some line Apparating which looked like magic leap-frog. Lily and Mars observing as Monte took the wizards through their paces. Soon enough, they needed a break. Wik provided a lovely lunch and then James, Lily and Sirius joined Mars over at hers to take in the hot springs. Monte said it would be good for all of them after a workout like they had. It was true, Lily felt drained and even more so after hot springing for an hour. Mars invited Lily to sleep over at hers. Lily was secretly very glad. She was not sure that she would be able to sleep with James one room away. James and Sirius left their witches after sundown and made their way through the joined tunnel between the McKinnon's and the Potter's properties.

"So, James...studying huh?"

"Shut up Pads!"

They went straight to James's room. They were alone now and could talk of James's fear.

"You know if that argument is extended Prongs, we will be next. Targets, I mean. Blood traitors that we are. I am sure that Voldemort would like nothing better than to bring wizards like us into the fold. Nauseating thought, that."

"Very. I hadn't considered that though. I never thought I'd say it but I'm glad Lily is at Mars' tonight. I'd hate for her to catch on how worried I am right now. If Lily is a target because she is Muggle born then she is twice the target being with me!"

"You know, Flower and I had a conversation similar to this just days ago. If you're thinking of pulling back now James, well, just stop! Don't even think of pulling back from her or I _will_ have to throttle you! What point is there to living miserably?"

"I wouldn't Pads but the thought did cross my mind. We really can't choose, can we? The heart wants who the heart wants and we either go along with it or live brokenhearted! Like Severus. That is what is wrong with him, you know? He's brokenhearted. That sounds so bleak and sad really. It's ridiculous because I am so happy! I've never been so happy and so scared at the same time; not ever! What are we going to do? I just sympathized with Snape! Imagine that, me feeling sorry for Snivellus! I must be losing it Pads!"

"First, we are never again going to compare ourselves to Snape! So, what if he had a crap childhood! I had a crap childhood and look how well I turned out!" James started to laugh and look at Sirius as if to say how Sirius turned out was still undecided and they Sirius laughed too.

"Snape doesn't have a heart. Furthermore, he never had a chance James. Flower has always fancied you; I've told you this before. Snape is brokenhearted because he made all the wrong choices, crap childhood be dammed! It's not an excuse for being a terrible person! I worry, that Reg is going to go the same way! We are not! We are not going to become crap people! We'd lose our witches and then be sorry toss-pots like Snape! We, are going to live like there is no tomorrow Prongs! We are going to do everything in our power to protect the people we love! We are going to stay true to our beliefs, even if it is dangerous because if we gave those up, we lose ourselves and if we lose ourselves, we'll lose our witches! They love all of who we are and that includes our values and our beliefs. We are going to grab all the happiness there is while we can! We are going to be brave! We're Gryffindors James! We're Marauders! We can't help but be brave!"

"Brave…. I don't think I've ever even thought about the word before; what it means. I am not even sure I've ever actually been brave Pads. At least not like this. Not like what is required now. You've been brave though. You had to be brave to remain at Grimmauld Place, you had to be brave to leave it and you had to be brave to leave Reg to make the wrong decision. How did you do it?"

"You were brave to yell at Flower to go out with you forty-seven times!"

"I'm being serious, Sirius! Seriously! How did you do it?"

"When it happens, the moment when bravery is needed, I don't think it's a choice. I don't think anyone can be brave until they've known fear. You've had little reason to ever be afraid and before you protest, it's not your fault. No child should ever have to be afraid like I was. All children should be raised like your parents raised you; never needing to be afraid, always knowing they are cherished. I just did what had to be done. Not to sound over-dramatic but it was a matter of life and death. It's not something you think about, the moment it happens. You just act. It's an instinct. The circumstances will change now and who knows what could lay ahead? But you will be brave James! It might not have been a matter of life or death but you've worked your way up the braveness scale. You were my friend when the whole school thought that I was odd for choosing to be sorted into Gryffindor and that was brave for you at the time; you were just a kid. You forgave me when I nearly let Moony kill Snivellus and I know it took guts to forgive that. You were brave then. But when it came to asking Flower out the forty-eighth time you just did it. You didn't plan it, you didn't consider the pros and cons or even the possible outcomes. You just asked her. It wasn't a choice. You had to do it. That is brave too. You will be as brave as you need to be when you need to be brave."

James smiled now a bit recalling the times Sirius thought he'd been brave. They were all true, he supposed. "Well, let's just hope that it won't be a matter of life and death Pads because if it ever is … well, I'd kill to save her life. I'm not sure that fits in with our _belief_ system but it would be instinctual. I'd die to keep her safe as well. Why did this all have to happen during our time? I wish none of this had ever happened. I wish Voldemort never existed! Why the bloody hell does there have to be a war now Pads? Or ever? He needs killing, Voldemort. Someone needs to kill that bastard. Too bad Dumbledore has scruples; he could have killed him already."

"I've often wondered why he hasn't done just that? If anyone could, it would be him. I wonder how many people will have to be sacrificed before someone kills him? He's not the only one either. There is my lovely cousin; she's another one who needs killing. I'd do it. I'd kill her just for having led Reg further astray! If that makes me as bad as them but so be it! There are no easy choices in war. Well, maybe hunting and killing Death Eaters is an easy choice. They don't deserve to breath the same air as Mars and Flower!"

"You're right. Once we're Aurors, our lives will be on the line all the time. We need to convince Diggle to train the bloody hell out of us. I'd ask dad but it would just scare him, ya know? This must be what it is to grow up; doing things that you don't tell your parents about because it would frighten them rather than because you'd get into trouble. I don't think I ever thought about what my becoming an Auror could do to them. Parenting must require an awful lot of bravery."

"Not if you're Walburga and Orion; you'd have to love your kids to be afraid and you have to be afraid to be brave."

"Their loss then. They missed out on you Pads and we gained the world when we gained you. They really do love you, you know that right; my parents?"

"Of course, I do. Your parents are incapable of pretense James. So are you and that takes all kinds of bravery; to just be who you are. Flower loves you for it. I also don't think we should sell our witches short; they are tougher than they look; Lily and Mars."

"They are, aren't they? So, no reason to plummet into darkness and despair yet eh?" James asked hopefully.

"No reason at all." Sirius answered with all the courage he could muster.


	19. Chapter 19 Siobhan The Great

**Chapter 19 Siobhan the Great**

Christmas with the Potter's came to an end. Travel restrictions lifted as storms across Scotland moved eastward but the snow remained. Feet and feet of snow covered most of the northern half of Scotland. The low winter sunshine too weak to provide much in the way of warmth, at least brought with it glorious light. Lily, James and Sirius went about Potter Manor collecting their belongings; Lily found herself regularly distracted by the views both in and out of doors, she couldn't help but look. She would be here again but likely never in similar circumstances; snowed in with the family she was falling in love with. She wanted to memorize this time and place, it's feel and it's smells and every tiny detail. Perhaps Dumbledore would agree to copy this memory for her and she could keep it in a little bottle; have it forever.

They would board the Hogwarts Express at eleven o'clock the following morning and return to start the second term of their sixth year. Time seemed to fly when Lily wished it to slow, she knew she would miss this place more than any place she'd ever been except Hogwarts. Late on the last afternoon as the sun hung low over the western view of the northern sea Lily was compelled to walk the Manor again; add to her memories the view from each window at sunset, commit to memory every detail of James's home. On her tour, she visited Monte in his lab, Euphie in her greenhouse thanking each of them for all they'd done for her, then she returned to her room to look upon James's quilt one last time.

On her bed, where the quilt would have been, there was instead a simple brown paper wrapped box, tied with string and an envelope addressed to her. She took the package over to the window seat where the last rays of sunlight were rapidly sinking below the horizon following the sun. Placing the box next to her she opened the envelope and sat down to read.

Lily,

I want you to have James's quilt. I always hoped to live long enough to meet you. I have known that it was you since the first time James mentioned your name. This is your home now.

With love. Your Euphie

Lily took the box and carefully untied the string, unwrapped the simple brown paper and opened the box. She found James's quilt, lovingly folded inside opaque white tissue paper. Before she could stop them, her tears fell. Lily rarely cried; she'd shed more tears here in James's home than she could remember shedding in her entire life. Her whole life changed this year and it was marvelous! She sat in the window seat as the sun set, arms around his quilt, face buried in its folds.

James had come to find Lily. He'd searched the whole house thinking he'd surely find her in the library but he did not, nor the kitchen, the dungeon, the greenhouse, the ball room, the great room, nor the dining room. Chastising himself for failure to predict Lily's likely location he took the spiral stairs three at a time to look for her in the last place he'd expected; her room. There she was, in the window seat, snuggling his quilt. He didn't go to her right away; he just watched her, his lovely Lily. He would bond his life to hers, he'd known it the first time he saw her on the Hogwarts Express. She stole his heart when they were eleven. Now, on the brink of adulthood, she was here in his home and they had been happier here than he had ever imagined they'd be. His throat constricted and his eyes suddenly stung with the salt of threatened tears. He fought them, swallowing hard.

Lily heard him and looked away from the view outside toward James. This was the face that she preferred above all other faces. James walked to her and she leapt from her place in the window and bolted to him. She jumped into his arms and held him as if her life depended on him. They just held each other and the sun set and the room began to darken.

"Lily, you'll never be rid of me, now. Though I suppose it'll improve my manners! No more _Oi, Evans! Go on! Go out with me!_ I've always been yours. You just didn't know it."

"You probably could get away with that line now. Feel free to try sometime; I might surprise you! Besides, I have always been yours as well and I did know it, it's part of why you always turned me into a head case! You've always brought out the nutter in me! I'm good with you always being mine and just so you know, it goes both ways."

Lily placed his quilt back in its box, rewrapped it and tied the string. With box in hand they left Lily's room, fingers laced, to join the rest of the family for one last dinner.

Dinner that evening was a family affair. Mars joined them and they simply enjoyed the evening together. Their bags were packed and they were ready to go; they had nothing pressing but being together. James played his piano while Mars and Sirius sang, Hero curled onto Lily's lap and purred, Euphie and Monte snuggled up together to listen to the sounds of music, Wik and his extended family joined in the long good-by.

"I wish this night would never end." The words escaped Lily's lips before she could reign them in.

"Ah, but Lily dear, new things can't happen if now doesn't end. You will be back here with us very soon, I'm sure of it."

"You're right Monte. I will be back. There's no place I'd rather be than here with the Potter's. Still, it has been a singular holiday for me. It's good James never gives up. I'm much happier for it. I'd hate to think of my life without him."

"We're glad. He was becoming quite annoying, all that angst. Besides, since James never gives up, your life without him would never have been possible, would it?"

Lily chuckled at that. It was true. They must be destined to only to fall in love the once, just like Sirius said. When the trio finished their last musical piece Euphie and Monte took to their beds. Hugs, kissed foreheads and good nights were shared.

"Prongs? What about one last night in the Tower? The stars will be out and it's a tradition to finish a holiday in the room with the View of Views!"

"Master James, the fire there should be just right now for warm star gazing."

"Wik, whatever would I do without you?"

"Master James, you will never be without me."

James and Lily, Sirius and Mars rose from their places and this time, Mars's hand opened the hidden door to the Tower. They piled on the giant bed, the four of them at once to star gaze and begin to talk of their futures. James took out the Marauder's Map and they spent a while spying on the castle.

"I'm actually almost excited to go back now. I was sad earlier today but we have so much to look forward to."

"Forward is the only direction to look Flower."

"Sirius, how is it that you are so wise?"

"Experience. I used to think it was a gift but I was wrong. My life taught me that the only direction is forward and the only time of consequence is now. I hate my past but it's equipped me with experience. I can't change my past but there must be a reason for it. I can choose how to live now and I can take steps to create my own future. Besides, I've enough priceless gifts already. He nudged Mars' head and like kneazles, she nudged his back, he thrashed James's hair and winked at Lily. That said plenty.

Piled on the giant bed in the tower all four talked into the small hours, of the coming term and of the Order. They talked of important things and of unimportant things. Eventually they stopped talking all together and looked out at the black Scottish night overflowing with stars as the Aurora danced across the sky. The next thing Lily knew, Wik was there to wake them with coffee and toast. "Master James, it's morning."

James had curled completely around Lily, his head tucked deeply into her ginger hair. Sirius and Mars formed their own pretzel, of sorts and all four heads rose at the smell of freshly brewed coffee. "Thanks, Wik!"

James entered the fireplace first and then Lily joined him. They wrapped their arms around each other and this time Lily cast the Floo powder. "Platform nine and three-quarters!" Sirius and Mars were right behind them. Stepping out onto the platform the Hogwarts Express greeted them with belching steam and black smoke, rising high into the air. Again, the hidden magical community gathered to see their children off. Euphie and Monte were last to Floo in and together, they made their way toward the train.

"Mighty will meet you at Hogwarts son so send him back with word of your safe arrival."

"Sure dad, or I could send my stag, or a Floo message."

"James, Mighty is your messenger; he will get cross if you don't send word with him."

"Your right, of course. I just hate to send him in winter. It will be freezing."

"He's a tough bird James, he'll be fine."

"This is it then. Thank you for everything! I will miss you all so much!"

"Lily dear, we loved having you to stay. You are always welcome, with or without James and you know several means to get home now, should you ever need to. Stay safe, learn everything you can and enjoy these days!" Euphie wrapped her arms around Lily and whispered into her ear, "Take care of my son Lily."

"I will. It will be my pleasure. I promise."

The whistle blew just as they heard Dor call out to them. "Oi! Crack on on you lot or you'll miss the train!" The train started to roll forward slowly and the four bolted to hop onboard.

"Safe trip!" Monte yelled as the doors closed and the trains whistle blew again, signifying that they were on their way back to Hogwarts.

"Dor! Remus! Oh, it's great to see you! Where's the rest of the gang?"

"Waiting for you lot in our compartment. C'mon. We have hours to pass and loads of stories to tell." Walking backwards, just as Remus had done months ago, Dor grabbed Lily and Mars by the hands and dragged them to see the rest of their friends.

The reunion of ten was a celebratory occasion. Everyone had much to say about how they had spent their holiday. The biggest surprise was news that Frank had proposed to Alice and she had a ring to show for it. Everyone knew they would become bonded for life but the ceremony would not to be until Alice finished school. Pete took Mary abroad between Christmas and New Years and they alone had sun-kissed skin, courtesy of the coast of Spain. Dor and Remus had spent time at each other's homes and they seemed to be officially a couple though, they were going to try to keep it on the down low, just as Sirius and Mars had done first term. Frank brought up Lily's great escape and she retold her story focusing on details that she hadn't shared during the Potter's New Year's celebration.

"It still amazes me Lily! A wandless, talking Patronus! Remarkable magic!" Remus bragged on her behalf looking proud and amazed simultaneously.

"Yup. She was brilliant!" James bragged as well.

"I was the brilliant one you idiots! We left a calling card for Petunia in her bedroom. An owl feather, donated by Mighty, placed on her dressing table. Couldn't help ourselves! I wanted to leave her a Howler but thought it might just backfire and she'd become a worse person than she already is."

"Pads you weren't supposed to tell!"

"Marauder exploits Prongs, must be bragged about! It's tradition. Besides, they are our mates and these," he indicated their witches, "are The Minions."

They passed the time on the train as they had in the fall. Lily and Remus went to the prefect's compartment with Frank for an update on their duties. They were to resume castle patrols but would share this duty with the remaining Aurors. The number of Aurors stationed at Hogwarts had decreased by half; they were needed at the Ministry for regular Auror work as Death Eater attacks were on the rise. London zoomed past and fields of snow, dotted with occasional cottages replaced the crowded streets of the city. Soon enough the fields turned to rolling hills that became rugged cliffs and the light from the pale blue sky faded. Inside the train the compartments lit themselves and outside the Scottish sky turned black once again, freckled with stars.

The trolley witch, was pleased to sell loads to the Marauders on this journey. They hadn't thought of baking even once over the holidays which just wasn't normal for them so Sirius laughed it off as being nostalgia's sake. They were pleasantly surprised to find that Dumbledore finally got his portrait on chocolate frog cards. Everyone in the Marauder's compartment claimed one. Soon the lights from Hogsmeade station could be seen and the noise level of each compartment picked up. As the train slowed they could see the giant silhouette of Hagrid waiting to greet them as they flooded the train's corridor. This time he was just there for fun as the first years would join the rest in horseless carriages on the winding, narrow and very dark path to the castle. The entryway was fully lit for their arrival and they disembarked the carriages all chattering excitedly as they made their way to the Great Hall. Dumbledore was in his rightful place looking expectantly toward his students as they filled the hall. Time was flying again and soon enough the Great Hall was packed with students once more.

"Welcome back! Tuck in!" On que, the tables filled and everyone in the hall feasted through smiling faces. The ghosts made their appearance and students shouted out to friends from other houses. The only table to forgo this tradition was Slytherin House.

Lily viewed the Slytherin's quite differently now. They were the enemy. They had attacked Mary and they had provided Death Eaters access to the castle through their common room! It was sad but true; Gryffindor's and Slytherin's would always be at odds. It started with the founders of their respective houses and would likely never change. Even the fourth and fifth years who had fought against the Death Eaters seemed in a somber mood but then again maybe they felt out of place sitting with enemies of Hogwarts. Lily caught the eye of Regulus Black and she could not read his expression. The lessons with Snape were obviously paying off so she looked away. Finally, when the last crumb of treacle tart vanished, Dumbledore gave out his notices. Students rose from their tables and everyone made their way to their own common rooms.

James refused to allow Lily to walk the castle without his arm around her shoulders and the other Marauders seemed to be of like mind though they tried to make it all look casual. As they made their way up the marble stairway James caught Snape glaring up at him from the entry way; a contemptuous glare that James returned. Tempted to hex him on the spot James thought twice and simply pulled Lily closer to him; she wrapped both arms around his waist. It was a revealing act but then again it probably showed anyway; they were a couple. James had said enough in that single gesture; Lily was out of bounds. Lily, too busy hugging James and laughing with her friends noticed none of this silent exchange. He was an enemy; Snape. James had always known this. James turned away from Snape's glare and dropped his head low to whisper into Lily's ear. He could not waste another moment thinking of Snape from now on. James and Lily were together and it was high time that Snape accepted that fact.

Severus's heart stopped. Lily was holding Potter in her arms. She looked exquisitely happy and, in that moment, Severus, knew that he had lost the battle for her affections. The last he saw of them they were rounding the corner at the top of the stairs and Lily reached her hand up to to touch his hair. She was giggling. Severus froze where he stood, in the entry way seemingly, alone. No one was there to see it but for once heartbreak showed not just on his face but in his eyes. They were over bright and burning. Tears threatened and it took every ounce of self-respect Severus possessed to look away as if it meant nothing. It was the last time, or so he thought, that emotion would ever reach his eyes. No one saw that his last emotion was one of heart crushing sorrow.

"Severus? C'mon. Let's get to the common room. We have plans to finalize. Severus?"

"I'm coming Regulus." Severus Snape turned away from the life he'd imagined, the witch he loved and he embraced the dark side of his heart. It had always protected him and would continue to do so now, even in the worst moment of his life. At least the worst moment so far.

Classes started in earnest the following morning and they took on a whole new meaning for the Marauders and their Minions. They had gathered in the Marauder's dorm that night to discuss once again the conversation that Lily and Sirius overheard between James's dad and Dumbledore. Frank and Alice needed every detail. It was decided that they would spend all their free time, scarce as it was, in training. Dueling, spying and gathering intelligence for the Order would be their focus whether they were proper members or not.

It was strange for Lily to see all her Professors again after having _partied_ with them over the holidays but she was surprised at the lack of awkwardness. Sirius, determined to receive his first detention greeted Professor McGonagall with "Minnie!" After that, everything was right back to normal. Well, almost normal, as normal as normal was this year. In each class, Lily's wandless, talking Patronus was _the_ topic of conversation. Professor Slughorn was always unashamedly himself and had to discuss Monte's private brewing laboratory with Lily. For better or worse, it became school wide knowledge that Lily Evans had holidayed at Potter Manor. Lily realized she should have expected this but the truth was, she'd been utterly distracted over the holidays. Far too distracted to think about the second term let alone plan for how to tackle it. Lily refused to even look in Snape's direction though she could feel his eyes on her as she opened her Christmas gift from Monte for Professor Slughorn's approval.

"I'm certain he blew these specifically for you Miss Evans, I recognize his hand. And these colors were, of course a Euphie inspired mix. Well, we shall put them to good use; Monte will be so pleased when he hears that you are getting them dirty."

"He will." Lily decided that hiding was simply not feasible so she spoke with her Potions Professor in a normal voice. What did she care if Snape heard. Surely, he knew enough already. "I loved his lab. Great, high windows all around and every imaginable piece of equipment I could possibly want! I would like to learn to blow my own glassware as the need for something unique presents itself. Maybe we could add that to my apprenticeship training." She looked hopefully at her Potions Master and he nodded enthusiastically. "He asked me to work with him this coming summer on some of the research you have been a part of. I think it's really going to happen Sir, I will become a proper Potioneer; trained buy the two greatest Potioneers I know!"

"Thank you, Miss Evans! Indeed, with Euphie's greenhouse and Monte's lab, it's a wonder you actually came back to school; I don't think I'd ever leave. But, I do adore passing on my knowledge to this lot," he indicated the room full of his sixth year N.E.W.T. students with a nod. "It's the best of both worlds; brewing and teaching. I'll likely never retire!"

In Herbology, Lily thanked Professor Sprout for her devious help with Euphie's gift. Professor Sprout told Lily that Euphie had owled; all the seeds were already potted and a few were starting to sprout. "We'll be using some of them this summer Miss Evans so you did well there. Euphie was so pleased and I, of course was glad to be of assistance."

In charms, Professor Flitwick insisted on a demonstration of Lily's wandless talking Patronus and she obliged. Lily gave her professor her wand and then closed her eyes and thought exclusively about James first then she thought, Expecto Patronum and her doe appeared. Lily's doe, of its own accord pranced across the room and circled James. Caught off guard by this James just smiled and he winked at Lily. Then her doe returned to her and she gave it an instruction. Her doe then walked right up to Sirius and stuck its white light tongue out at him and blew between its lips and tongue to make a silly but well-known noise children often make when they are teasing each other. Sirius looked positively insulted! The whole class laughed, Professor Flitwick most of all. Inspired with Lily's accomplishment the rest of the class dove in, eager to learn wandless magic without a thought that it might be difficult. Lily was pleased that this time, everyone accused her of showing off! They took this class with some Slytherins, Snape among them but she would not give him her eyes. He took Potions with her as well so he'd seen her gift from Monte. Lily didn't say but she also learned a great deal about brewing from Snape though she'd never admit such out loud. It was part of the past. She could feel his eyes on her still though and she resented him for it; he had no right to look at her. Where were her rights in this? She was certain that the form of her Patronus was not lost on him either.

In Care of Magical Creatures, Hero was the center of everyone's attention. It turned out that by the end of the first week of second term Lily's holiday stay at Potter Manor was common knowledge. Lily admonished herself again for having failed to realize that she and James could be as discrete as they wanted but it would make no difference at all! She's spent most of her Christmas holiday with the Potters and there was not a single person in Hogwarts Castle who didn't know that fact. But there was an upside to this rarely accurate gossip; most people could be heard saying to each other, "It's about time!"

By the weekend, life at the castle was just as it always had been except that their group desire to keep all their new relationships private was utterly failing. It was firmly out there now. After all, Lily had her kneazle Hero which was her gift from James, he had his pocket watch which was a gift from Lily (Remus asked James for the time on the hour), her escape from the Dursley's was common knowledge now, she used Monte's Christmas present every Potions lesson and then there was her doe. Just as Sirius and Euphie warned, there was talk and some whispers as she passed people in the corridors. Some of the witches eyed her with envy but for some reason none of it bothered her at all. They'd all agreed to ignore the talk and get on with their lives. Quidditch practice resumed, homework mounted, corridor patrol took some getting used to but with Remus it was fun; they enjoyed each other's company so there was nothing to complain about. The full moon came and went, and by the end of the third week in January it was finally Gryffindor's turn on the Quidditch pitch against Hufflepuff. Lily had never looked so forward to Quidditch before; she had her heart in the game now and planned to make as much noise as the rest.

On the morning of the match James woke to pain and found Hero sitting on his chest, staring at him and purring, happily sinking his claws deep into James's skin.

"Hero! What the bloody hell?!" Hero proceeded to nudge James's face with his face. Then the little kneazle licked James's nose with his sandpaper tongue and James groaned in disgust but smiled all the same. "Oh, alright Hero, what's up?"

Hero leaped off of James's chest onto the floor and walked toward the door, sat down and turned around to look James right in the eye.

"How'd you even get in here? What's Lily up to now?" Hero waited patiently looking back to the door. James put his glasses on and rose from bed to follow the little magical beast, opened the door and Hero pranced out to wait in front of Lily's door. James shook his head but obliged the bossy little animal thinking that Mighty might have had an influence in training him. Apparently, James was part of Hero's support staff.

Once the door was open however, another voice in his head whispered, _go on James ... peek. She's probably asleep anyway._ Maybe a view of her lovely legs would be his reward if he was very quiet. Lo and behold he was treated to exactly that. Lily lay sleeping, her ginger hair spread over her pillow, one of her naked legs was draped over his quilt, her arms were wrapped around the rest. He looked further in, maybe she was alone...? Nope, all of her dorm mates were snoozing in their own beds and sadly none of the witches had closed their curtains. He thought it must be very early for them to all still be sleeping on Quidditch Saturday. He looked back at Lily, he smiled and then he retreated back out the door and closed it as softly as he could.

Back in his own dorm he found his trousers and checked the pocket for his watch. It was half six. Time enough for a shower before the rest woke. He slipped into the bathroom and turned the shower on, waiting for it to warm up while he regarded his reflection in the mirror. He smiled to himself. He was happy, completely happy, wanting for nothing for the first time in his life. It was extraordinary to feel like this, content with exactly the way life was rather than longing for something. It was remarkable really given that there was a war beyond the protection of the castle and there were enemy's inside its walls. Being aware of danger was not the same thing as worrying. At this moment, he longed for nothing. Well, he longed for Lily. He'd only ever longed for Lily but it was a different sort of longing now. The mirror filled with steam as his glasses fogged and his blurry reflection blurred further when he removed his glasses and placed them on the shelf above the sink. His smile remained as he wondered what he'd ever done to deserve to be so content, so absolutely happy with his lot. He didn't know. He dropped his pajamas and climbed into the shower.

He used the shampoo to wash his whole body. Soap was soap, after all. His hair had not been cut since school started in September and he wondered if it should have been. He hadn't even noticed. Lily must like it, she'd never complained that it was too long and it didn't really matter to him one way or another. It did lay down a bit more, long as it was and maybe that was a good thing, He stood facing away from the water and let the stream beat down on the muscles in his shoulders and neck. He was conscious only of this deep contentment that he felt; it was empowering. Lily cared for him. He mattered to her. She would be in the stands today with the rest of his friends screaming her head off and calling his name! He also knew most of the school would be shaking their heads saying, 'Well, it's about time!'. So much for keeping things on the down-low! Hero, her Potions kit, his pocket watch, her amazing escape from the Dursley's, her doe… Yup. It was out there alright and it didn't matter whether they were the most discrete couple on the planet. Everybody knew she spent most of the Christmas holiday with him. Did everyone know that he loved Lily? They probably did, all the whispers were confirmation enough. But now they had evidence that Lily returned James's feelings. He didn't know whether to feel boldly proud for having won her heart or utterly stupid because he actually hadn't planned on so much factually, incriminating evidence. He and Sirius were slipping.

James had never been any good at hiding his feelings about anything. Certainly, he never did a bang-up job of hiding his feelings for her. No matter how they'd come out; an exasperated yell or a desperate plea for her to go out with him...it never seemed to matter what he said. I was apparent that he'd fancied Lily...forever.

"Prongs! Save some of that hot water for the rest of us, eh?"

James jumped. "Scare me to death next time will ya?! Geez Pads, I'm getting out now." The day had begun and he had a Quidditch match to win!

James emerged from a steamy bathroom with his towel around his waist and his glasses on top of his head.

"MY, my, my, look at you!"

"Lily! What are you doing in here?" He checked the towel to make sure he was covered and pulled his steamed glasses onto his face. They were useless as they were and he wasn't about to use the towel to clear them up.

"Go on James! I promise I'll close my eyes."

"Who are you and what have you done with Lily Evans? Honestly… Like I'd believe that! Good morning Lily. Why are you in here?"

Pete started laughing, Remus threw James his pants (which he couldn't put on without removing the towel), Sirius smirked enjoying James color for once and Lily just looked him up and down.

"I just wanted to say good morning and wish you good luck. Apparently, it was a great idea. Now while you're in the air battling, I can be in the stands remembering this moment!"

"That's enough of that Flower. We are all still here, just so you know."

"Good morning to you too Sirius!"

James padded over to his bed and sat down next to Lily, only in his towel. He took her in his arms and snogged her senseless! Lily blushed from her chest to the tips of here ginger hair.

"Let that be a lesson to you Lily, never tease a guy who's in nothing but a towel! Not unless you're prepared for what he might do."

Lily was as red as her hair and she practically ran out of the dorm but she was smiling like an idiot and she was giggling.

"That was fun." James said casually.

"Well done James. Who knew that one snog would set a witch running!" Pete taunted.

"Well said Wormy!" Sirius looked on proudly.

"Interesting way to start the morning James." Remus teased.

"That was excellent! Seeing her when I'm nearly nude was just excellent. Now get cracking! It's Quidditch Saturday and we have some Hufflepuffs to destroy on the pitch!" James yelled in his best Captain's voice.

Forty minutes later they all met in the common room and made their way to the Great Hall for breakfast. There were boos and cheers as the Gryffindor Quidditch team entered, just as there should be. Lily was wearing James's Captain's jumper and looked utterly gleeful. She was once again tucked safely under his arm, then they took seats side by side, for all the world to see looking happier than she had ever been. She didn't really care. Let them look! Let them talk! What did she care? She was happy and she was going to enjoy it.

Just before eleven, the stands were packed with students from every house all in their own colors. It was a freezing cold, day, the sky was still clear and the pitch was buried under many feet of snow making the flying space to the hoops shorter. Lily, Remus, Pete, Mary, Alice and Frank all huddled close together under Gryffindor blankets. Pete drew a Gryffindor lion banner and Remus charmed it to move. Lily, Alice and Mary charmed it to roar encouragement to their team. Hufflepuff were currently ranked first so they flew into the stadium first to great applause. Gryffindor followed to the same. Their flying teacher of the last two years was a witch named Madam Hooch. She had short, spiked hair that was nearly every hair color imaginable. She had startling golden eyes, she always wore stiletto boots and she had been a brilliant seeker in her day.

"I want a clean game! I want a great game! From all of you!" She released the Quaffle and the match began.

Commentary was provided by Head girl Emmeline Vance but she was shadowed by the tiny, ginger, first year Gryffindor witch, Flynn Reid. "McKinnon takes the Quaffle and she's off! The Gryffindor team this year has four veteran players. Their newest chaser, Felina Johnson takes the Quaffle passing to Potter who passes it back to Johnson. Also joining the team are Don Thomas, the new keeper and that spot way up there is their new seeker, Siobhan Shanahan. Of course, their beaters, Black and Meadows are as dangerous as ever. Play is picking up now as Amos Diggory, a seventh year veteran and the teams Captain intercepts the Quaffle and Hufflepuff makes their own way to the hoops."

There was a lot of passing going on but very little scoring. The Bludgers seemed to have the need to vent and were taking their toll on the chasers who spent much of their time, staying out of their way. The Beaters, feeling the same need as the Bludgers were everywhere all the time. The keepers were wildly effective and it looked like it was to be one of those games where the teams had to take great joy in the effort because defense was winning on both sides. Finally, after twenty solid minutes of frustrating back and forth, Mars scored the first ten points for Gryffindor and the fans went wild. Lily was jumping up on her feet screaming, Remus and Pete had levitated the banner above everyone's heads so they wouldn't have to hold it and were following Lily's lead.

It was a heated match as both teams were rich with skilled players. Forty-five minutes in, the score was 70-60 Hufflepuff. The temperature was rising and snow clouds were rolling in. James called for a time out and both teams took five minutes on the snow buried pitch to strategize.

"To take the lead we need to be up by thirty points Shanahan so you're gonna just have to keep your eyes peeled for that Snitch until then. Pads, Dor let loose the dogs of war! At this rate, we could be here until Monday. Hufflepuff has a great team this year but we're better! Thomas! Excellent keeping! Johnson! Great work! Let's bate them with Hawkshead Attacking Formation and then see if we can pull off a Porskoff Ploy! The sooner we finish these guys, the better!"

"Go Gryffindor!" shouted the whole team and play resumed. Bludgers on both teams were making their mark, literally and at one point an overly enthusiastic Beater from Hufflepuff landed her Bludger right in Johnsons face! Johnson obviously missed her catch as she was knocked clean off her broom and bleeding everywhere. Madam Hooch blew her whistle and Madam Pomfrey marched onto the pitch to mop Johnson up but the resulting penalty shot went wide as it appeared that Johnson's scoring arm was also injured due to her having landed on it in the fall.

Dor and Sirius retaliated harshly smashing one Bludger at the same time as Diggory passed the Quaffle and he came off his broom next, landing on his head. But it was a clean shot to the abdomen so there was no penalty against the Gryffindor beaters. However, Madam Hooch blew her whistle and a furious Madam Pomfrey marched back onto the pitch to have Diggory carried off and inspected for concussion. The Gryffindor team could not seem to meet the three-goal lead and play continued.

Play resumed with a reserve filling in for Diggory who sat on the sidelines looking confunded and Hufflepuff's most senior Beater, a stocky fifth year named Andy Abbott got so angry and hit James with a Bludger so hard that the fans heard his tibia snap! He didn't even have the Quaffle so Madam Hooch blew her whistle again. Madam Pomfrey sprinted back onto the pitch. She had her work cut out for her today and complained vociferously about the effect when a Bludger met bone! This too, resulted in a penalty shot. With his tibia splinted James took his shot through blinding pain but he made his goal but then he passed out and nearly crash landed. He was caught with a cushioning charm cast by their healer, Madam Pomfrey who was evidently quite furious now and he was replaced by one of his new reserve players Amanda Spinnet. Madam Pomfrey tended to his bones but James was the captain! As soon as Pomfrey knit his bones he escaped her and flew back up into the sky before she re-splinted his leg. Spinnet looked disappointed coming off the pitch.

Little Shanahan finally saved the day when a score by Mars brought the Gryffindor team to their three-goal lead. The little witch flew like a winged vector. She spotted the Snitch hovering over Diggory's head (he too returned to play as he was Hufflepuff's Captain) and zoomed toward it like an arrow shot from Hagrid's crossbow. Diggory dove so fast that he preceded his broom and fell from the sky again. Madam Hooch failed to blow her whistle as she was spellbound watching Shanahan fly but Madam Pomfrey came back out to have Diggory removed from the game. The Snitch seemed hell bent on not being caught and swerved in and around the players in an attempt to shake her off. At one point, she flew through the Hufflepuff center hoop and the whole crowd roared that she should get ten points for such skilled flying!

Shanahan stayed on the Snitch for five solid minutes. The Hufflepuff Seeker stayed with her for three of those five and finally just sort of hovered on her broom, gaping at this marvel of a Seeker! The Snitch rose high above them in a play designed to force the Seeker into an uncontrolled dive. Shanahan had other plans and attempted a Wronski Feint but the Hufflepuff Seeker too busy watching, failed to bite. It was no longer a battle between Seekers, it was a battle between this stubborn Snitch and an equally stubborn Seeker! Shanahan followed the Snitch relentlessly. When the Snitch reversed and shot toward the snow-covered pitch, she was right on top of it and flew straight down toward the pitch, the Snitch mere millimeters from her fingers when she stretched right off her broom grabbed the Snitch in a furious fist as she was pulling one armed G's to get out of the vertical dive. James, fearing for this wonderful seeker cast a cushioning charm at the same time as the entire Gryffindor House and Dumbledore. Shanahan bounced, skidded really just as she leveled out and the force of the cushioning charm caused her to skip across the air like a well thrown stone. With a victorious smile plastered across her little freckled face she raised the struggling Snitch for the stadiums inspection. The crowd went wild! They momentarily forgot that this was a competition as even the Hufflepuff players applauded the little witch's amazing flying! Madam Hooch blew her whistle and Emmeline who had become temporarily speechless shouted "Gryffindor Wins!"

The Gryffindor team zoomed toward their Seeker and hoisted her right off her broom onto James's and Sirius's shoulders and flew her back to the ground. The stands emptied and fans vaulted the hand railing and ran over the packed snow to reach their team. Madam Pomfrey battled her own way back out onto the pitch for the last time, with the help of Madam Hooch and her whistle and rounded up all the injured. James, indeed had a broken leg, Sirius had a broken and bloody nose, Mars had no broken bones but was bruised from head to toe. Dor was just bruised and Johnson had a blackened eye and a dislocated shoulder. Shanahan alone was injury free. Diggory had a concussion, Abbott had a dislocated thumb but they were all smiling, even the losers.

"Hell, of a seeker ya got there, Potter! I hate you!"

"Thanks, Diggory! Great match! You've put together a hell of a team; I hate you too!"

Madam Pomfrey led the way to the hospital wing followed by the injured, some of whom were on stretchers, including Potter and Diggory. Professors McGonagall and Sprout left the pitch arm in arm and followed their charges up to the hospital. Gryffindor took the lead in the inner house championship by only thirty points and they were to play Slytherin next. Keeping the Quidditch cup was not a given, yet.

"Brilliant flying Shanahan! I've never seen better!" McGonagall beamed at the little witch and she beamed back.

"Thanks Professor! It was great fun!"

Lily, Remus, Mary, Pete, Alice and Frank followed their team into the hospital. Madam Pomfrey allowed this but only for a very short time.

"Fabulous match!" Remus slapped his team on those who's backs were available while Madam Pomfrey shooed him away. "Sirius, you and Dor were brilliant!"

"Thomas, way to keep!" Pete was beaming.

"James, Mars, Johnson, unbelievable match!" Alice was still bouncing on her toes and grinning.

"Shanahan! What to say? You were bloody brilliant!" Sirius and James bellowed at the same time.

"OUT! All of you out! You can wait until I inform Professor McGonagall that visitors are permitted!" Madam Pomfrey had reached the end of her tether. Cheering and singing the rest of Gryffindor House left the hospital. Hufflepuff was shooed right behind them. It had been a great day of Quidditch!

Lily blew James a kiss on her way as she was nearly stampeded out the door with the rest of her house. The Great Hall had hot chocolate and pastries for the frozen fans so they remained there all together happily recounting the great plays of the day. Professor Dumbledore was waiting at High Table able when they all entered but broke tradition and came down to join in on the celebration. The unity showed by these two teams was extraordinary. Little Shanahan seemed to remind everyone that it was supposed to be fun and he offered her his personal congratulations.

"Superb flying Miss Shanahan! I expect that Mr. Potter is exceedingly pleased with your performance today. It was a good way to remind everyone that we are all in this together."

"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore. I've always wanted to Seek for Gryffindor. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed flying more!"

The celebratory atmosphere in the Great Hall lasted until the walking wounded were released from Madam Pomfrey's care. Diggory would be in hospital over-night but the rest slowly made their way down to the Great Hall. Professor McGonagall beat Lily to James and had nothing by praise for her team Captain. "Brilliant team Mr. Potter! I knew you'd make me proud."

James actually blushed, his head of house was not often so free with her praise.

"Thank you, Professor. I'm really proud of all of them. And Shanahan, what a performance!"

Mars and Sirius entered the hall with arms around each other mostly to help each other walk but their smiles said it all. Dor was found by an adoring Remus and he scooped her up and carried her to the Gryffindor table, placing her gingerly right on top and planted a kiss on her forehead. "My God Dor, you were bloody brilliant!"

Lily offered her congratulations all around but she only had eyes for James. He was on crutches. Even though his bones were knit, he was not allowed to place any weight on his leg for twenty-four hours. She approached slowly.

"Wow James! I never knew Quidditch could be so thrilling! Does it hurt, your leg?"

"Naw. More of an inconvenience really. Pomfrey gave all of us pain potion and demanded that we not _celebrate_ in the common room tonight. I think she meant no drinking. Apparently, it doesn't mix well with the potions for pain but, I feel fine."

Lily walked straight up to James and kissed him right there in the Great Hall, on the lips.

"Way to keep us on the down low Lily!" James scolded but he had kissed her back so she shrugged off his scolding.

By the time the celebrations were winding down it was dinner time. They reluctantly returned to their House tables but they dined like wizards. Mighty flew into the hall and waited for James to send word to his parents; a play by play as it were, of the match. They had planned to be there but were once again snow bound at Potter Manor so they promised to come to the next match.

"Mighty! You shouldn't be out in that! I'll send word by Floo and you get up to the Owlery and stay there! No flying anywhere for you tonight my great brave bird!"

Mighty looked pleased that James took notice of the sorry state he was in. Lily transfigured some napkins into fluffy towels and Mighty hopped over to sit in front of her and let her towel him dry. James just smirked.

"You spoil him." Mighty glared at James and closed his eyes and let Lily get on with it.

This whole time neither Lily nor James took any notice of the Slytherin house table but Professor Dumbledore did. He watched Severus Snape struggle through the evening and it made Dumbledore very sad. Perhaps James Potter and Lily Evans were meant for each other. Severus Snape was certainly the author of his own misery, still ... Dumbledore knew that the sorrow in his young Slytherin would morph into something far worse and there was not a single thing that Dumbledore could do to prevent it.


	20. Chapter 20: Poor Choices

**Chapter XX Poor Choices**

Saturday night after all the students returned to their houses, Severus Snape and Regulus Black finalized their plans for the coming week. Regulus admitted freely that the likelihood he could befriend Lily Evans now was nonexistent. They had a new target in mind; Peter Pettigrew. He was the one Marauder both Snape and Regulus considered the weak link, so to speak. He was neither gifted nor talented and kept himself safe due to the gifts and talents of others; they planned to use these against him. He would agree to go along with what they would ask of him if he desired the continued well-being of his Mudblood, Mary McDonald. As long as Pettigrew agreed to cooperate and could regularly show evidence of his cooperation, then Mary McDonald would remain untouched. They would make Pettigrew an offer only an insane wizard would refuse.

The following week was the end January and Lily was the next Gryffindor to come of age. Her seventeenth birthday was on Saturday. Brilliantly, Frank scheduled Hogsmeade weekend for the end of January. They would celebrate Gryffindor's lead in the inner house championship and Lily's seventeenth birthday all rolled into one great party in Hogsmeade. James was able to walk again, Diggory was recovering, Johnson was on the mend and things were looking up at Hogwarts. The Marauders made a secret excursion to Hogsmeade by means of the tunnel beneath the statue of the hump-backed, one-eyed witch on the third floor on Friday night. They convinced their witches to keep Lily occupied with whatever witches did when they were alone. The witches agreed and Frank recommended a pre-birthday celebration in the prefect's bathroom. He managed to convince the rest of the prefects their bathroom was out of order on account of Peeves and Moaning Myrtle and was amazed when his lie was believed. Maybe it was believed because Frank was not a liar.

The Marauders had not been out like this all together and on their own all year. It felt like old times as they slipped through the witch's hump and slid down the stone slide into the tunnel that led to the cellar below Honeydukes.

They came fully prepared, Map, Cloak, Two-way mirror and James's lucky pack with its Undetectable Extension Charm. They had no plans to return with contraband but such plans tended to change. The Marauders enjoyed being in their own company. They had always loved breaking the rules, the thrill of danger and the risk of possible consequences. Still, they had a system to this rule breaking, carefully created by years of research and they stuck to that system almost by instinct. Once they made their way to the trap door beneath Honeydukes, it was Pete's job to let his Wormy self, scope out the area and make sure it was all clear for the rest to emerge.

As always, the Marauders emerged undetected and snuck out the front door of Honeydukes. The shop would be open until nine so they had plenty of time. Once on the High Street all together, James pocketed the Cloak and the Map and they made their way first to the Three Broomsticks to arrange a reservation for the following night. Rose was glad to see the Marauders breaking the rules! She hailed their victory and the new Gryffindor Seeker and treated them to a complimentary shot of fire whiskey and agreed with their requests for the night of Lily's birthday gladly.

Next, they went to The Hog's Head and did the same but reserved tables for the ten of them just for drinks. Aberforth was glad to see them breaking the rules as well, offered them a complimentary shot of fire whiskey to toast their Quidditch victory which of course, they accepted as graciously as Marauders could and downed it on the spot. They all insisted the victory belonged to Shanahan. They recounted her battle with the golden snitch in great detail along with all the gruesome injuries, all the penalty shots and Madam Pomfrey's fury throughout the match.

Abe was most shocked to hear that Madam Hooch forgot to use her whistle and instead, watched the new Seeker fly. "No one has failed to use their whistle since Professor McGonagall was injured so badly her seventh year in the Championship match against Slytherin. That was the only game where play was actually suspended for a quarter of an hour. The referee threw his whistle down, got on the loud speaker and stopped play!" Of course, everyone who knew anything about Hogwarts Quidditch history knew all about McGonagall's injuries but they also knew enough about their Professor not to mention it. Of course, McGonagall knew they all knew and appreciated that they never mentioned it.

Then they went to Honeydukes to check that Lily's birthday cake could be delivered to The Three Broomsticks by five the next evening and that went to plan as well. Lastly, they returned to the Hogs Head for shots of fire whiskey and they laid their knuts down for a bit of a flutter. Finally, just before nine they staggered their way back to Honeydukes just before closing time and while the patrons saw to the last of their customers, the Marauders, a bit less quiet this time snuck down to the cellar and dropped into the tunnel beneath the trap door.

With whiskey in their blood, they spent a while in the tunnel just below the slide and laughed for no good reason except that they were young, they were wizards and they had pulled off another secret excursion out of the castle. Checking the Map, the reemerged into the third-floor corridor just in the nick of time. The Aurors and two Ravenclaw prefects were coming their way from opposing directions. As silently as slightly drunk wizards could they slipped and tripped into an empty classroom, crouched down as low as their growing bodies would allow and covered themselves in the invisibility cloak. Fists were stuffed in mouths to keep from laughing; it was just too much fun; taking a risk. They tried to keep their poorly focusing eyes, all eight of them, on the Marauder's Map. They didn't exit, until the coast was clear and they sort of just tumbled out of hiding.

Meanwhile, Lily and the Minions spent their evening in the Prefect's bathroom. It was an early birthday present from Alice, through Frank. This was a singular room! The bath itself was more like a pool than a tub, complete with a diving board and surrounded by loads of different taps, each set with a different colored jewel. The room was lit by a candle filled chandelier, everything was made of white marble and there were thick, fluffy white towels in the corner. There was a giant gold framed painting that featured a sleeping blond with the tail of a mermaid. Lily had seen pictures of Merpeople in a book at Potter Manor and wondered how such a Muggle version of a mermaid found its way into a castle full of witches and wizards who knew better. Lily had use of this bathroom for almost two years but this was the first time she'd ever been in here. Even Alice had used this room; with Frank, as Head boy she had been admitted.

They turned on all the the taps and marveled at the speed with which the pool filled. The bubbles were of all sorts and came in different colors and shapes and scents. Because it was Lily's seventeenth birthday someone provided the witches with champagne complete with long stemmed glasses and a variety of fruits, breads and cheeses that hovered at hand over the water. Lily suspected that the Marauders had nicked the champagne but she was certain that the nibbles came courtesy of the house elves.

Being a rather modest group, they tugged on their bathing suits and took, to the pool. Mars and Dor dove from the diving board, Lily and Mary sat lazily on the descending stone steps and laughed a their two friends. Lily was surprised when even Moaning Myrtle showed herself to grudgingly wish Lily happiness since she was alive; Lily appreciated it all the same. The topics of discussion remained light while Myrtle graced them with her gloomy presence and all the witches did a lot of under-water swimming when Myrtle appeared to leave; you could never tell with ghosts.

Alice shared Frank's proposal in detail, Mary declared that she thought she might love Pete, Dor announced that Remus was a wonderful lover. Lily caught Mars eye and they agreed silently that Sirius was right; this private time was priceless and while they listened with genuine interest to their best friends, they kept their sharing to far less personal accounts.

Lily was not about to share any details of her private love with James and smoothly deflected her contribution to describing their snow bound holidays in great detail and Lily couldn't help but carry on about Monte's private lab, Euphie's greenhouses, the happy, well-loved Potter Elves and this seemed to refocus her witches away from regretfully sharing such matters that should be, kept private. Oddly, Hero came along and though he did not swim, he did chase after the bubbles and seemed to consider himself victorious with each successful pop after his vector pounce, claws extended.

After what seemed like minutes, hours had actually passed and the witches were white and puckered on their hands and feet when they finally called it a night. It was well passed curfew so Lily sent her Patronus to James asking for help from the Marauders to get back to their common room.

Maybe Lily was just that naive but when the five wizards showed up, modestly in their swimming trunks she freely joined their wizard's ideas of fun which included diving over the parabolic purple bubble jet, attempting to float on the deep blue bubbles, under-water distance swing, cannon ball and swan dives from the pool side, underwater distance walking on the bottom of the pool and chatting with Moaning Myrtle who predictably returned to spy on the wizards, especially Sirius. Ever the charmer he convinced her to get Nearly Headless Nick to annoy Peeves the Poltergeist as a diversion, during which they all made a mad dash back to the Gryffindor common room. The only evidence of their evening were the many wet footprints trailing behind them from the prefect's bathroom to the Gryffindor common room and the many lingering scents of all the different bubbles. The Fat Lady scolded them but let them in all the same with a wicked smile on her face and a wink.

It should be noted that the champagne/whisky influenced, wet and towel wrapped Gryffindors demonstrated unbelievable restraint when at long last and against the devilish side of their nature; all ten fell asleep that night in their own beds. It wouldn't do to have detentions on Lily's seventeenth birthday, which seemed to come before their heads met their pillows.

Everyone slept late on the morning of January 30, 1977. James woke first and was too excited to fall back to sleep. He smelled like the perfumes that carried with them from the previous night's pool-party. He checked to see how hung over he felt and was pleased to note that he felt perfectly fine. So, they hadn't drunk, that much. They'd scarfed down all of Lily's remaining nibbles when they went to escort the witches safely back to Gryffindor Tower and perhaps this food made all the difference. Mostly, decent judgement prevailed last night.

James held a life-long interest in weather and wondered almost every morning what the weather had in store for him. He found his glasses on the table next to his bed and put them on. It was snowing outside, he could see the giant flakes falling thick and fast through the window. Even though he was awake, he didn't really feel like getting out of his warm bed just yet so he curled deep into his blankets and considered the day ahead.

In less than two months they'd all be adults, legally. It was a startling thought. Where had the time gone? What was it about people his age who couldn't wait for one thing to finally happen, all the while wondering how it could be that time slipped past, unnoticed? His mum, was always correct about such things. She'd say "James live in the now, son! Tomorrow isn't yours yet, it will be gone before you know it and yesterday is but a memory." James rubbed his face to help wake himself up. He needed a shave but he wouldn't today because his face would sting in the cold while they wandered through the village. His hair was almost as long as Sirius's but he didn't care much about that either being absolutely certain that it was a frightful mess, long or short. He just lay there in his four-poster listening to the quiet, deep breathing of his sleeping friends watching it snow. Eventually he reached for his pocket watch and Lily's little speech bubble whispered rather loudly, 'Wake up! It's half noon!' Adrenaline shot through him! Fully awake now and he tugged his blankets off and made his way to the bathroom to monopolize the shower. Today was Lily's birthday!

Lily woke to a snowy birthday morning. Hero was curled into the crook of her neck, kneading her pillow and purring. Her friends were all sound asleep and their dorm smelled like the scented bubbles from last night's celebration. Now, there was another room that she would have to enjoy alone with James. In less than two months all of them would be adults. Where had all her time gone? And, why had she wasted it with _others_ when she could have been wasting it with James? Now that she knew him, they were inseparable and with cruel irony, time refused to slow. James. What a wonderful thought. He was so lovely last night in his wet swimming trunks that she wished now she'd slept with him in his bed instead of alone in hers. He was becoming a man and his was beautiful. His face was rarely clean shaven and his hair was a longer version of wild but to Lily, he became more attractive each day. His body had filled out just since September and his fame had added an inch or two. She could lay here and imagine every detail of him, at least the details she'd seen and became conscious of her widening smile. Maybe he was still sleeping or maybe he was naked and in the shower. Either way the thought was delicious.

Today was her birthday. For some reason, she couldn't really remember previous birthdays. Was it because James was in her life now that this year, her birthday actually mattered so much more than birthdays before? BJ and AJ: before James and after James. Lily laughed. Last year the mere thought that this year would be as it is now would have made her laugh. All they did last year was row! This year was priceless! Not only couldn't she remember previous birthdays, she had a hard time remembering all of last year, what last year was like, how had she spent her time. She and James had been such a frustrated jumble of the horrible hormones! This was the oxytocin year and it was like she'd gone mad. Or like she was sick. Sick with love. She was in love… All she could think about was James.

They would spend the day in the Village with all their friends and have a wonderful time. Whatever she did, wherever she was, it was a good time now because of James. He'd unblocked her (Mars and Sirius had certainly helped with the unblocking as too had Euphie and Monte). He's given Lily more than himself. She was part of the Marauders now and she knew his family, his home and she felt a part of something greater than herself. So, this is what it was like to be in love. Every taste a little more flavorful, every sight more colorful, every sound more cheerful, every single minute of incalculable value. All because James never gave up and had willed himself to grow up enough for her to see past prat James to the real James. He was exactly the person that Remus and Mars and Dor had always said he was. Kind, loyal, clever and not nearly as cockily confident to the point of being off-putting as he'd tried to be before. Perhaps he'd been as unsure how to move forward (toward her), in those days as she'd been to move forward (toward him). Then it seemed they rushed in like Billio! Zealous in their desire to be together, to learn about each other and to let the nature between them take its course. She'd been floating in that weird reverie when that quietly her door opened and James peeked his head in.

"Good morning Lily. Happy birthday!" he whispered in hushed excitement.

Lily whole face broke into a smile and quietly she slipped out of her bed, tip-toed over to the door, squeaked out the narrow opening and wrapped her arms around him. James. Her very own wizard. "Good morning James. Thanks. I'll just go shower and be right out. We do smell, quite clean though, don't we?"

"We do and we smell the same. I wonder if we smell the same anyway? Never mind! Go shower. It's your birthday today and we have loads to do!" He kissed her and that delayed her departure to the shower by quite some time. Eventually, slightly dizzy just from being near him, Lily tottered back through her door and monopolized the shower; it was her birthday after all and she was entitled to waste a bit of hot water.

Everyone planned to meet at the Three Broomsticks at four, leaving a few hours for each pair to enjoy some time alone. As such, each pair headed different directions once they reached the High Street. Sirius and Mars headed for The Hog's Head, Frank and Alice to Zonko's, Remus and Dor to the Post Office, James and Lily to The Three Broomsticks

Secretly, Pete and Mary snuck off to Madam Puddifoot's! No one could know about their secret place to get away from the others and share time alone. They came here on the last Hogsmeade weekend and discovered they actually knew almost none of the couples that frequented the snogging shop and no one looked up when they entered. It had more privacy than The Hog's Head and it was much cleaner. The Marauders would never come in here! This relative anonymity was welcome and they could be romantic without being teased.

Pete had reserved the most private table offered and they entered, pink with cold and in need of something warm. Mary began to remove her multiple layers while Pete ordered them hot chocolate with a chocolate liqueur and whipped cream. He rejoined Mary, offerings in hand and they settled in for a nice romantic afternoon alone. They would whisper to each other their dreams, get a little tipsy and cuddle with no one to notice; everyone else was occupied with similar notions. He had a secondary job today but it completely slipped his mind and he would regret this momentary lapse sooner than he'd like.

In the Hog's Head, Sirius and Mars took seats at the bar and visited with Abe. Mars had red wine, Sirius had ale and they pretty much carried on just in the same way as were Pete and Mary. Sirius noted this time there were Slytherins about so he unconsciously kept one ear tuned for information. Mars did the very same, listening for any information that might offer insight into Voldemort's next move but that didn't stop either of them from fully enjoying their time together away from the castle and away from the horde of people who seemed far too interested in them.

At the Post Office, Remus and Dor both had packages waiting. They arranged to pick them up here rather than have them delivered to the castle as a ready excuse to be on their own. They'd gone in together over Christmas to purchase birthday presents for everyone who would come of age in second term. Lily would never guess what they got her and that pleased them both quite a lot. They were also, discretely making a tally of who was where and what they were up to. Lily was a high-profile friend and as it was her birthday she was more high-profile than she normally was. Today, she had nine people, secretly looking out for her with one goal in mind, a safe birthday celebration.

At Zonko's Frank and Alice were also purchasing gifts for Lily. These were intended for more than one purpose; a joyful celebration of senseless fun and as decoys for whatever circumstance she might find herself in. Frank and Alice felt sure that their high-profile ginger friend was, like Mary, a choice target of the Slytherins, the Death Eaters and by extension, by Voldemort. Today they had to enjoy her birthday but also keep her safe.

James and Lily took the long way to the Three Broomsticks. They were on dual mission as well. They were to find out just exactly where the Slytherins bided their time on Hogsmeade weekends, enjoy wandering around the Village on a snowy day with only each other for company, at least for a while and James secretly had a third goal: to keep Lily's birthday celebration a safe celebration. Part of their plan was to slip off somewhere very private, don the invisibility cloak, then take up a good lookout spot and just watch. According to the Map, the Slytherins were not at Hogwarts today unless they were all in the Room of Requirement. They planned to only lend the first hour of their day to this snooping activity.

James secretly feared that Snape might have something up his sleeve on Lily's birthday and it was because of this, that every one of her friends had an ulterior motive for the day; to protect Lily.

But as it often is with great plans, there were other plans afoot and Lily was not the focus of these. Peter Pettigrew was the target and no one was the wiser. Sadly, the Slytherins had their own network of spies too, gathering information on the comings and goings of the Marauders and their Minions.

Regulus Black, entered Madam Puddifoot's with lovely Ravenclaw witch, named Selina Ackerley, his famous Black charm in place. Regulus had always been adept at knowing his surroundings while seemingly paying them not the slightest attention. Selina appeared to be the only person to whom he paid any attention and he escorted her to a table in the back, with an excellent view of Pettigrew and McDonald. All he had to do was manage to get Pettigrew alone and he could easily complete his mission.

Mary noticed Regulus and his date take a table, a little way away from the one she shared with Pete. She recalled the look on Regulus's face when Avery and Mulcibur were torturing her and knew that whatever his faults might be, he was not your typical Slytherin. He did look a lot like his brother in a more controlled and disciplined sort of way. Same grey eyes, same black hair but Regulus wore his much shorter and neatly groomed. Their body type was the same and Regulus did possess an easy grace that added to the overall effect; Regulus was very attractive and his date looked very happy to be with him. However, Regulus also had the bearing of an entitled pure blood and to Mary, this only diminished a wizard who could have been nearly as beautiful as his older brother.

Mary had never tried to manipulate Pete before but now she felt strongly compelled to say something to Regulus, by way of thanking him for showing up. It was Regulus and Snape who had actually interrupted her attack even before Lily, Remus, James and Sirius knew what was happening. She'd seen it in her memories.

"Pete, could you order us another? It was delicious and that liqueur isn't on Rose's menu."

"Sure Mary. I'll be right back." He stood, leaned down for a kiss and left their table for the little bar. Much to Mary's disappointment Regulus rose at precisely the same time and left to get drinks for himself and his date. Mary chided herself. She'd never been very good at this sort of thing and here was another example of how her spontaneous attempts to manufacture a situation always failed.

Regulus fell into step just behind Pettigrew and went to work.

"If you want to keep your Mudblood safe you'll listen very carefully, I shall say this only once."

Pete was startled but didn't want to alarm Mary so he did his best to keep his cool. "I'm listening."

"We will ask you for a service in the near future. You will perform this service and tell no one about it. If you do this we will leave both you and McDonald untouched in our future endeavors."

"And why should I believe you?"

"What choice do you have?"

Pete just stood at the counter pretending to look at the hand painted menu on the wall. He couldn't think. Hopefully, he looked cool from Mary's perspective but he wasn't. His heart was beating out of control and his mind was a nest of terrifying images of the last time Mary had been at the mercy of the Slytherins. He needed more time.

"Must I answer now? Couldn't I think about it? I need more time!"

"Pettigrew, you are a worm and an unworthy one at that! Even, of a Mudblood's affections. If you have to think about it then she must mean less to you than it appears." Regulus knew he had won a victory even before Pettigrew answered.

"All right!" Pete whispered between clenched teeth.

"Well done Pettigrew. Consider yourself and your Mudblood friend safe ... for now. Enjoy your day. Oh, and wish Evans a happy birthday from the Slytherins."

Pete knew it had been Regulus who had approached him but when he turned around he saw only the back of him as he made his way back to his Ravenclaw date. He'd not even noticed that Regulus never bothered to order. He waved to Mary in what he hoped was a casual and confident way to quell any misgivings that she might be developing. Regulus and his date left the snogging shop before Pete had even ordered drinks. Regulus made a show of being dissatisfied with the menu and insisted that his date deserved better. They were out the door without a backward glance.

"I'll have two more of the same please." Pete heard himself speaking to the little old proprietor but he was completely preoccupied with what had just happened. It would be the moment in Pete's life that he would live to regret forever.

Just before four o'clock Lily and James entered The Three Broomsticks. Applause broke out from most of the tables with Happy Birthday's shouted from all directions of the room. Lily blushed but said thank you to the room at large and let James lead her to their table for ten. James caught Rosemerta's eye and she winked at him.

Lily Evans' birthday party was about to begin and Rose was very happy to see the pair enter her establishment, hand in hand celebrating Lily's birthday. They made a striking couple and had been sweet on each other for so long that Rose, like everyone else thought, "It's about time!"

All of Hogwarts was arriving now The Three Broomsticks was near to bursting with clientele. There was plenty to keep the attention of the group on her. Pete was grateful for this. Only now with Mary attending to the rest of their friends did Pete actually realize what he'd done. He had no idea what _service_ Regulus and the Slytherins would require of him but he was certain that whatever it was, it would be something that he would not want to do. Pete wondered if it would be possible to tell his friends without Regulus or Snape finding out. But, as they were both, practicing Legilimens Pete was sure they'd know if they ever caught him on his own again long enough to look him in the eye. Pete also knew in his heart that he was the only Marauder the Slytherins would have dared to threaten. The rest would have never have agreed to whatever this was. James, Sirius and Remus would have cursed Regulus on the spot and then would somehow manage to turn the tables on Regulus so that he wound up owing them.

Regulus was right. He was a worm. He'd never been in the same class of wizard as his three closest friends and frequently he wondered why they even considered Pete one of them. Pete was not without talent but he never was very talented at magic. He couldn't produce a Patronus when there were fourth year Hufflepuffs who could, his marks were never above average. He had always relied on their help and their protection. He'd certainly enjoyed being a Marauder and the reflected glory his friends provided. Miraculously, they loved him and they all had powerful magic. What could they possibly want from him, the Slytherins? Aside from Mary, the only thing that Pete could say he had were his family and his friends. Certainly, none of Lord Voldemort's servants could possibly want something from Pete himself. Pete's family were relatively obscure. Only Pete's powerful friends had anything worth the The Dark Lord's notice and right there and then, Pete's skin crawled. This was about them. The Marauders. He was sure of this as none of them would ever have agreed to serve; James, Sirius and Remus would sooner fight to the death than become creatures of Dark Lord and … Pete just did. He was certain that. Pete was now a creature of The Dark Lord and he knew he was in serious trouble.

"Pete! Oy Pete! What's up? You're miles away. There's a party starting here and it won't be complete, without you!" James put his arm around Pete's shoulder and this act of friendship finally got Pete's attention. "You OK mate? You look like you have the cares of the world on your shoulders. It's not Mary, is it? You two look so solid. Whatever it is Pete I'm here to help if I can. We all are. Just say the word buddy."

"It's nothin' James. I'm fine. Really. Where's the birthday witch? Let's get this party started!" Pete said this but his voice sounded artificial and he could only hope that with Lily's birthday and all their friends celebrating that James hadn't noticed. It wasn't likely as James noticed everything so Pete became determined to convince everyone that he was fine. But, he'd never managed to fool James and tonight would be no exception.

On the night of Lily Evans seventeenth birthday Pete got blindingly pissed. He knew he'd made a tosser of himself but the drunker he got the less he cared about what anyone thought of him. They could hardly think less of him than he thought of himself. He wouldn't remember much, whether or not he'd blabbed the whole thing to whoever happened to be listening. If his self-esteem had been in doubt before it was tanked now, non-existent. He didn't remember how he got back to the castle. He didn't remember who got him back. He remembered seeing Mary crying and then she was gone. Pete didn't wake until two days later. When he did, he was in hospital and he was alone.

Meanwhile, Mary was with her Gryffindors, recounting for the umpteenth time, the events leading up to Pete's unprecedented public display.

"All I know is we were in Madam Puddifoot's and Regulus came in with Ackerley, that Ravenclaw witch. I wanted to thank him for interrupting my attack so I asked Pete to get us another round. As soon as Pete left our table Regulus followed him to the counter. Their backs were to me and I couldn't hear what they were saying but after like a minute, Regulus and his date just left and Pete came back to the table all strange and distracted. What on earth do you think happened?"

"I told you that place is not right!" Sirius said hoping to diffuse the tension that seemed to permeate the room and like a gas to solid deposition.

"Shut up Sirius! I'm serious." Mary retorted.

"No Mary, I'm Sirius." Sirius tried again with an apology in his tone.

"Good Sirius because this is serious." Mary said with a tone that accepted his unspoken apology but was determined to not allow him to make light of Pete's situation.

"You're right Mary. It is serious and I'm sorry. I am taking this seriously. Seriously." Sirius added and he dipped his head to hers in humility.

"Focus people!" Dor yelled and everyone became momentarily quiet.

It was James who broke the silence. "I asked him what was up as soon as the party started. He said he was fine. I knew he wasn't but I thought it might be something between you two and maybe it was none of my business. He didn't say another word about it. He just got totally pissed. I hope he's OK. I mean, I've never seen anyone get so pissed so quickly!"

"Thank you, James, for trying. Honestly. He ruined Lily's birthday and everything and I have no idea why."

"You need not worry about that Mary. Lily is just concerned for Pete and for you." James assured her.

"James is right Mary. Who cares about my party. Sorry boys. It was a lovely party except the Pete part. What matters now is Pete and what happened to make him do such a dangerous thing. He could have overdosed you know!" Lily added emphatically.

"Prongs, it's simple. We corner my little brother and get it outta him. He may be an Occlumens but he was never very good at hiding things from me. I'll push him. Hell, let the lot of them join in. I relish the opportunity to hex Snivellus into the next life!"

"I do too Pads but we don't know what happened. We might make the situation worse, for Pete and for Mary. We got to get it outta Pete. We're his friends! We just have to remind him of that and coax it outta him. He's got to trust us! That is if he even remembers."

"Madam Pomfrey said she won't permit any visitors until tomorrow so whatever he remembers, she said he won't be telling us any time soon." Remus said, a look of deep worry on his face.

"I'm going to go and try and see him! If Madam Pomfrey would let any one of us, it would be me." Mary turned on the spot and left them gaping at her back while Alice hot-footed it to follow her. None of them were to walk the Castle alone, especially not now.

"Why'd it, have to be Pete? Why'd they single him out? I know they did too. They singled our Pete out and they threatened him!" James railed.

"It's because he's Pete. They know you, Remus and I would rather die than betray our friends. James, they singled Pete out because he's not as strong as we are. It's harsh to say but it's true. We've always protected Pete. Well, we didn't this time." Sirius's shoulder sagged to hear this stated aloud. They hadn't been there for him.

"Sirius is right." Dor stated boldly. "They picked Pete because they knew none of you three would give an inch. I'm sorry to say it, I love our Pete too but, of the four of you, he'd be considered the only one susceptible to a threat. There, I've said it so go on! Tell me I'm insensitive but I don't think I'm wrong." She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at everyone still present, challenging them to contradict her. No one said a word. They hung their heads for a bit and then looked shamefully at each other. Would anyone here disagree with Dor or was she speaking a truth, one they'd always known but didn't care about? Was Pete more vulnerable? Did they target him because of Mary or because he was who he was?

Lily and Mars were quiet. Mars was probably listening for information but Lily could barely hear the conversation, over the blood pounding in her ears. Snape! She felt so guilty for indirectly dragging him into the lives of her actual friends. She was fuming. Leave it to James to notice the quality of her silence.

"Lily? You're awfully quiet. You OK?" He sat right in front of her and asked her very quietly. She was glad he knew her well enough to know than whatever was on her mind might not be something she necessarily wanted everyone to hear.

"I know I'm quiet. No James. I'm not OK. This is all about Snape and the Dark Arts and his contamination of Reg and Slytherins in general and Death Eaters and Voldemort! This is about hate and victimization and torture and murder and blood status," Lily hissed vehemently, her voice rising. "I bring Snape as baggage! He might not have payed attention to any of you if not for me! I'm not trying to be dramatic and I'm certainly not crying for attention but if Dor is correct, which I happen to think she is, then I am, in part responsible. Maybe I could have ended my friendship with Snape on better terms and then some of all this might not be happening. Pete! Why would anyone want to hurt him?"

"Well, Lily ... if Dor is right and they are using Pete then by singling him out they have caused a rift to grow between Pete and us, his friends. Maybe we should go to Dumbledore? And none of this is your fault, Lily. It's not anyone's fault! Pete was alone with Mary just as I was alone with you. We were all alone with ours. We can't be all together all of the time! If we start down that road then we all could have done things differently. I could have done things differently too. Tried to become Snape's friend or at least hate him less. Sirius could have dragged Reg, kicking and screaming from Grimmauld Place. Remus...well, I don't think Remus could have done anything differently because of the four of us, Remus is the best person. Pete could have worked harder at his magic and done a bit of fighting on his own; not relied on the rest of us to always fight his battles. Pete could have told Regulus to stuff it, walked out and found all of us straight away and then it woulda been us against them not Pete, by himself, against them. None of us Lily are truly blameless but it's also not anyone's fault. The person responsible for all of this is Voldemort!"

Remus, whose hearing was the best of all of them, heard James.

"Firstly James, I am not the best person of us four. Secondly, you are right about the rest. All of this is Voldemort's work, we could all have done things differently but, Pete, our friend, needs us now. Just because he has been victimized doesn't mean he necessarily becomes a victim. So, let's go see him and get it outta him. Let him know that we are on his side!"

James and Remus had inspired everyone into action and they all marched straight to the hospital to demand to see Pete.

They found him sitting up in his bed holding Mary's hand. He looked up to see all of his friends shouting down Madam Pomfrey's objections and proceeded to surround Pete's bed like a wall. Seeing them all here, taking his side of a problem they didn't even understand was terribly moving. Pete didn't think he deserved to have such good friends. But he did have them. He sat up a little taller, they all moved in a little closer and Pete, spilled. Every detail that he could remember. Apparently, Dumbledore came to the hospital to see how Pete was fairing after his night of self-abuse and had brought his Penseive. Together, just like with Mary, they looked at Pete's memories. It helped to distinguish what actually happened from what Pete's memory morphed into under the influence of all that juice. He'd told Mary first. He felt he needed her permission to speak of it; she would be in more danger now but she insisted that they were all safer together than any of them were alone.

When Pete finished his re-telling of Regulus's threat everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Firstly, Dumbledore knew and that made everyone feel better.

"I say we turn the tables on them. Use this information to our benefit!" Sirius looked around half expecting to be scolded or contradicted but Pete was next to speak up.

"That's exactly what Dumbledore said."

Lily was surprised by this and couldn't help but remember her conversation with their headmaster after James and Sirius had followed Regulus and Snape into the Room of Requirement. _"If I were a Dark Wizard then I would ask you to let him see things I had planted in your mind to learn of their plans to support Lord Voldemort. Nasty business really, stealing thoughts and manipulating feelings."_ How was this different to that? So, she spoke up.

"Dumbledore cautioned me about situations like this. I'm not at all sure that I like it Sirius or that I think it's a good idea to use anyone for anything. It feels like we're acting just like they are, using people for some imagined gain. But I do think that something needs to be done and I don't think we should do anything without the Headmaster's knowledge, help, counsel and approval."

"What did Dumbledore say Lily?" Mars asked for the benefit of the group.

"Basically, he said that mind games and emotional blackmail were the purview of Dark Wizards. Not in exactly those words. I could quote him if you like." She saw heads all around her nod. "He said, "If I were a Dark Wizard then I would ask you to let him see things that I planted in your mind to indirectly learn of their plans to support Lord Voldemort. Nasty business really, stealing thoughts and manipulating feelings." Those were his exact words. I'm just saying that Dumbledore must be consulted or I'm not willing to be a part of any scheme or plan."

"I think she's right." Remus said. "This isn't a prank or a dare. This is deadly serious and we need Dumbledore's help. But turning this to our advantage was Dumbledore's idea as Pete just said. If he wants my help, I'm all in. If we can't trust Dumbledore then we've lost the war already." Dor beamed up at Remus and slipper her hand into his.

Then, they all looked to Pete. This really was his problem, well his and Mary's so they should have the final say on what was to be done. Pete looked to Mary and she nodded her consent.

"As soon as I get outta here we'll go straight to Dumbledore. Oh, and Lily ... I'm sorry I messed up your birthday."

"Not to worry Pete. This, all this, is much more important. Just don't ever get that pissed again; you could have died. We're all in this together Pete, you have friends and you're never alone." Lily covered Pete's hand with her own and gave him her most bracing smile. Secretly, Lily had grave misgivings about the whole horrible mess. When she looked into James's eyes she felt certain that he, at least shared them. But she wouldn't let them show now; Mary was at risk again!

Pete was released from Madam Pomfrey's care on Monday after classes. It took that long for his blood to be free of alcohol and its metabolites. Of course, he missed all his classes but his friends helped him make a start of his homework even for the classes they didn't share. Professor Dumbledore agreed to see all of them together at seven o'clock that evening, after dinner. Together, led by Frank and Alice, they marched to the Headmaster's office, Frank gave the password and they rode the spiral, stone stairs to their Headmaster's door. It opened for them before they knocked. Dumbledore was waiting for them. He was facing away, looking out onto the snowy grounds. When he heard them enter, he turned to greet them. James could have sworn he saw the Headmaster square his shoulders, stealing himself for this meeting. James followed suit.

Rather than chairs across his desk, Dumbledore led them to a pair of comfy looking sofas that faced the fire which was blazing in the grate. He conjured a cozy looking chair for himself and they all waited for him to sit first. He sat so they did too in their customary pairs. A pair of house elves appeared with trays of hot chocolate, tea and biscuits which helped to lower the general anxiety in the room. The students waited for their Headmaster to address them. Dumbledore was certain they were following James's lead, who had demonstrated a keen ability to read a situation and act accordingly.

When they were all settled in with something to eat or drink, Dumbledore spoke. "It's sooner than I would wish it but I have taken advice my closest friends who are good counsellors and we have decided that now is the time. I would have you all just listen first and save your questions for when I have finished. Then we may converse until you are all satisfied." Dumbledore looked at each one of them in turn so as to gauge their disposition. Mr. Pettigrew brought shame and self-doubt, Miss McDonald disappointment and trepidation; she had been attacked twice already so he was pleased she was even here. Mr. Longbottom brought courage and conviction. Miss Prewett brought a level head and hope. Mr. Black brought energy and a clear need for retribution. Dumbledore couldn't really blame him as he understood the need for retribution better than he cared to admit. Miss McKinnon brought a clear mind and a steadying center which Dumbledore guessed was for Black's benefit though everyone would benefit from her balanced nature. Mr. Lupin brought the voice of reason and good temper. Miss Meadows brought power and loyalty. Dumbledore was certain she knew all about Remus now and this was good. Miss Evans brought reservations and startlingly...love. Well, Lily would be the one to bring love. He was sure she was recalling their earlier conversation. Mr. Potter brought integrity, a need for justice and an open mind. It was at that moment when Dumbledore knew, beyond a shadow of doubt, who would follow Mr. Longbottom as his next Head Boy. Perhaps, they weren't children anymore. Maybe they were ready.

"I am proud of all of you for bringing this situation to my attention; especially Mr. Pettigrew. You had so many other choices available but you chose well." Dumbledore saw that Pete sat a little taller after hearing this and Dumbledore was glad; everyone made mistakes, what mattered is what they did after. "When Tom Riddle chose to become Lord Voldemort, I knew the wizarding community was in for heartache and trouble. I formed a society of, for lack of a more apt description, like-minded vigilantes, in preparation for what seemed would eventually come. After Grindelwald, I'd learned my lesson and began to read the signs though obviously not well enough. We began to reach out into all communities that make up both the magical and the Muggle worlds. We have informants and spies, if you will, from the highest born pureblood right through to the members of our community who prefer to live as confidence tricksters, smugglers and thieves. We have eyes and ears everywhere we can have them. I should have seen it long ago but I hoped, as I always do, that when he was Tom Riddle, he would make better choices. However, he did not so here we all are embroiled in a war of ideologies. We call ourselves The Order of the Phoenix and our aim is nothing short of the defeat of Lord Voldemort." There was a unified intake of breath and nods all around the room.

"We are not completely beyond the law; we have Ministry employees among our ranks at several levels, we have generous benefactors," Dumbledore nodded to James, "we have Aurors and we gather intelligence wherever we can. Members of The Order must be seventeen years of age and we'd prefer they not be students." Dumbledore could sense arguments being crafted but no one spoke. "The attempt to compromise Mr. Pettigrew is part of Voldemort's plans to undermine us, and by us, I mean The Order. Rest assured Mr. Pettigrew this is not only about you but about all of us who would oppose him. As you have learned, Voldemort has supporters and spies as well, right up through and including Ministry officials but also down into the levels of the most vulnerable of our population; students. He is using Hogwarts students to recruit new Death Eaters. My student population. I take it personally. This is a line that once he crossed, well, I have no choice but do what I am able to, to thwart his efforts and put an end to him once and for all." Dumbledore looked around at all of them and lastly, he looked at Pete. He didn't want Mr. Pettigrew to obsess on having been singled out. "None of you will be allowed to join The Order until you finish school but we, The Order, feel that you can help us." All ten of his students visibly relaxed and Dumbledore had mixed emotions about that as well. They might not be children anymore but they were still very young. He had mixed emotions about the whole, horrible mess but it needed cleaning and the people best qualified to do that, were those who wanted to.

"It is because you chose, this year, to bring every incident of this nature to my attention, we all agree while you may not be allowed to join us just yet but you will be allowed to help. Truth be told, you would be gathering information whether we wanted you to or not. You are in a unique position to gather very specific information the type which adults could not. We feel there will be two immediate benefits which result from your ... assistance. The first is you will be more protected if your activities are known to and directed by The Order. The second is we gain ten more pairs of eyes and ears here at Hogwarts where the most vulnerable of our magical population lives: students."

Dumbledore stopped speaking to allow all this to sink in. He was asking more of them than they knew and he didn't want a single one of them to participate because they felt pressurized. Therefore, it had to be established right here and now that their help was in no way required. He looked at Lily and saw his own doubts reflected in her eyes. He knew their conversation first term was the source of her doubt. This was a dangerous road and the outcome was not certain. Of course, Mr. Black was the first to speak. He was recklessly brave, Sirius Black.

"Headmaster? May we speak now?"

"You may."

"What would you have us do? I mean, what would you have me do? I'm all in! I have been fighting this kind of hatred all my life. Hell, I was raised by our enemy! I have a little brother to try and save and now I have the opportunity to make a difference along-side the likeminded. Besides, I'm of age so there is no reason why I shouldn't be helping. For me it's a gift, really."

"There are plenty of reasons why you shouldn't be helping Mr. Black but you, of all people, know those reasons, I can hardly blame you for wanting to fight back." Dumbledore gave Sirius a knowing look followed by a smile.

Sirius felt his volunteering first would be understood. He did have more reasons than the rest of them to want to put an end to this flood of hate and cruelty. Mars took Sirius's hand and he visibly relaxed under her comforting presence.

"We've always planned to become Aurors anyway, like Frank and Alice." James indicated himself and Sirius. "Where Sirius goes, I go, Sir. He won't be doing any of this without me." James stood while he spoke and placed his hand on Sirius's shoulder.

"Professor Dumbledore? If James is in then I am too. It's my blood status that is a cause of all this so I'd fight anyway but I'd rather fight alongside the likes of these two!" Lily took James's hand and stood up beside him.

"Sir, where these three go I go." Mars laced fingers through Sirius's visibly squeezed and she rose from her seat to stand at his side.

"I will fight too Sir. Hogwarts gave my life meaning and friends. There's nothing I wouldn't do for these people." Remus stood.

"Not without me you won't! We are in this together Remus Lupin! Whatever you need Sir." Dor took Remus's hand and lifted it around her shoulder.

"You know us Professor. We'll be fighting Voldemort together anyway. Best its sooner as it will be later. " Frank and Alice rose together at Frank's words.

Only Mary McDonald and Peter Pettigrew remained seated. They looked at one another. Neither of them wanted this. They wanted to graduate, marry and travel the world together. But maybe they were not alone in such dreams. Mary looked at each of the pairs and knew they wanted what she wanted and none of them would ever have it if they did not succeed in their efforts to defeat Voldemort. So, Mary rose.

"Unless Voldemort is defeated then my hopes and dreams will never come true; nor will theirs. I will help in any way I can Sir."

"What did I ever do to deserve such a group of friends? I'm in Sir. What can I do to help?" Pete said, feeling braver than he'd felt in his whole life.

"So be it. And Miss Evans...none of this, any of it was caused by you or Mary. All of it falls on Voldemort and the cowards he calls Death Eaters. It's not really about purebloods versus Muggleborns or Muggles, it is about power and infamy, cruelty, manipulation and subjugation. You see, Voldemort is a half-blood himself and for him it is about immortality. So never think that it is anyone of your fault's. Fault lies wholly with Voldemort. So... shall we together, formulate a plan?"


	21. Chapter Twenty One: From Unbearable Pain

**Chapter 21 From Unbearable Pain**

It was decided that, for the time being, Pete would carry on as if he was still willing to provide a service to The Dark Lord. February's weather reflected Pete's confusion. He felt like no matter what was done, no matter who did the doing, his path had been chosen by someone else. He agreed to help Dumbledore and The Order but he also believed that something which was very fragile in him to begin with, was now in someone else's hands and they would not be gentle with it, as his friends always had been. Still, Mary was well and he was too. None of his friends had come to any harm yet so maybe he would be proven wrong. Classes were as demanding as ever, Quidditch was a good escape, there would be another Hogsmeade weekend this one coming, as a matter of fact. After all it would be Saint Valentine's Day.

Finally, Regulus Black made contact with Pete but it was in disguise. It was the Friday before the weekend of Saint Valentine's Day and Pete received a Valentine from an anonymous admirer. He did not recognize the handwriting but his ego compelled him to open it anyway and there it was in print:

 _ **All of the names of the members of The Order of the Phoenix. Provide these and Mary McDonald will live. Tell anyone or fail to comply and she dies!**_ __

Then, before Pete could show anyone this evidence it burst into green flame and fell to the floor as ash. The blood left his face and he sat down on his four-poster bed. So, it begins. Of all the wizards he knew, he considered himself the least likely, the least equipped of them all, to become embroiled as a central figure in the coming war. Then he realized that this alone was the reason they targeted him; he was a weak, cowardly and talentless wizard. He wasn't a totally untalented person. He was a talented artist and nearly a chess master, he was well traveled, spoke several European languages and above all, he had the affection of a beautiful witch. But he always wondered why, of all Hogwarts's Houses, he had been sorted into Gryffindor. What was that stupid hat thinking? Had it seen something in Pete that he himself, didn't know was there? He certainly hoped it had because so far, his magic was unimpressive. Well, he wasn't going to be weak today! Pete, true to his word stood up and walked straight to Dumbledore's office.

The Headmaster received him immediately and Pete told Dumbledore everything.

"So, no one saw you read this note?" Dumbledore asked, looking down his crooked nose through his spectacles with those piercing blues, directly into Pete's soul.

Pete swallowed down his nerves and answered the Headmaster. "No Sir. I was alone in my dorm when I read it. No one even knows I received it, except you, of course and the sender. I didn't expect them to ask for so much Sir... names of all the Order's members! What do I do?"

"You give them what they have asked for. Do not let yourself worry Mr. Pettigrew, you can only give them the information that we'd give you as, you do not know who all the Order's members are. I am certain that Voldemort and his most trusted comrades already know most of our members though anyway. This is a test of you Mr. Pettigrew and I think we should insure that you pass with flying colors. They left no instructions as to how you are to deliver this information?"

Pete shook his head so Dumbledore continued. "Well, they obviously expect you to just meet up with Mr. Black at a place and time of their choosing. They won't be dictating the terms of this exchange, not a chance. As none of you go anywhere alone, Mr. Black will be forced into this exchange in a public place like the Great Hall. Tonight, during dinner would do nicely and you will agree to his demands. You will also choose a method of communication at this time." Seeing Pete's doubt Dumbledore continued. "Yes, you can play their game! If they demand an exchange of information, you can set the terms. Not to worry Mr. Pettigrew, we all have your back. I'll call an emergency meeting of The Order immediately. Are you still willing to do this?"

"I am Sir and it's certainly not because I'm brave. It's because I have no choice. I'd like to get it over with as soon as possible."

"Remember Mr. Pettigrew, you are a Gryffindor. You are as brave as any one of us. It's you who doubts your own bravery so it's you who must demonstrate your bravery first to yourself."

That evening at dinner Pete did exactly as Dumbledore asked. But Pete was no Occlumens. When Regulus returned to the Slytherin House table he looked directly into Severus Snape's eyes and Regulus delivered his information without saying a word. Snape knew that Pettigrew had told Dumbledore everything. It was so easy, almost too easy. The whole plan went like clockwork. Regulus really had been practicing and The Dark Lord would be most pleased with the pair of them. Snape had deceived Dumbledore again and Dumbledore was none the wiser. How, could Dumbledore possibly think that a pitiful wizard like Pettigrew could escape being read by Regulus? Perhaps he'd not thought to remember that Regulus was a Legilimens. If that were true then it would prove to be a costly mistake and Dumbledore would bear the responsibility.

"That seemed to go well Pete. How are you? OK?" James whispered urgently when Pete retook his place at the Gryffindor table.

"Yeah, Prongs, I'm fine. I don't much like it, being their informant but I can see no way out now. They think I am their eyes and ears now! Can we talk about something else? This whole chain of events well, it makes me queasy. Hogsmeade weekend?"

"Of course, we can Pete. Valentine's Hogsmeade weekend! What more could we ask for, eh? Have anything special in mind with Mary?"

"Naw. I think we should all stick together though. I know we're all playing our part for the greater good but I still feel uneasy about the whole mess I'm in. I wish they hadn't singled me out for this. I feel like Mary's even more vulnerable now than before, like if I make one wrong move, she'll pay the price."

"Pete, that's how they want you to feel. Don't let them have it! Hell, if Voldemort wanted to he could just show up in person in Hogsmeade tonight and kill the lot of us! None of us are safe anymore. That's why we have to trust each other. Right?"

"Right. Yes, of course you're right. Let's all go to Hogsmeade tomorrow and have a great time. We'll only panic if we can see the whites of Old Voldy's eyes, eh?"

"That's the Marauder spirit, Wormy! You know, they say his eyes are almost red now. Why would anyone change their eyes to red, eh? What a nutter!" James guffawed and, against his will, Pete smiled.

Saturday morning brought rain, wind and loads of slushy mud. Dumbledore insisted everyone take the school carriages to and from Hogsmeade and they were all to be back before dark. It was a mistake on Dumbledore's part, making them take the carriages. It was proof that he knew something Dark was up but as great a wizard as Dumbledore was, even he could make mistakes. No one in the whole school seemed to mind taking the carriages nor the curfew because in the current climate most of them couldn't believe were still being allowed to go to Hogsmeade in the first place so carriages and curfews were an easy caveat. After the Halloween massacre, no one much fancied being away from the safety of the school, after dark so, a curfew was a welcome excuse to return to its protection.

They made the usual rounds in the Village; Honeydukes, The Three Broomsticks, Zonko's and The Hog's Head. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, no duels broke out between Gryffindor and Slytherin and if they had been paying better attention, that alone should have been a red flag. They had a bit of a flutter and drank a little but no one overdid it; they were still on their guard and needed to have their wits about them. Just before it was time to head back to the castle a disturbance could be heard outside the back of the Pub on the High Street. Everyone was expecting this to be a scuffle between rival students so they flooded out of The Hog's Head and poured in mass toward the High Street to see what was going on.

The rest of the shops were emptying too and the High Street became so crowded that it was hard to locate the cause of the commotion. But at the center of all the commotion, Death Eaters hidden behind their masks were in Hogsmeade once again. Just their appearance here was bad enough but what followed got worse still. They were attacking anyone in the front of the crowd and those in front, unfortunately, were the smallest. Better to see the commotion if they were in front. No one expected Death Eaters in Hogsmeade. It was a disastrous mistake. Victims ranged from third years to the stooped, elderly shop owners all of whom were the shortest of the crowd. The death Eaters were using Dark spells and no one knew how to block these.

Thankfully, The Aurors charged into the fray from all directions, some attacking Death Eaters, some shielding victims. Lily, brilliant Lily, cast her Patronus, called for Dumbledore to help and sent it toward the school. Mars cruised the front perimeter, staying low, looking for the wounded. Frank, Alice, Dor, Remus, Sirius and James dove into the broiling mass and it was Halloween all over again!

Lily could have sworn she heard the Death Eaters using unforgivable curses and fear for the people she loved, flooded her heart as fury filled her brain. She had to find James! She could face anything as long as she knew that he was still alive. The instant she spotted James she took up a position near him threw herself into the battle, providing as much cover for their fighters as she could, Shield Charms around the smallest of them, doing damage to the enemy when she caught them off their guard.

No one noticed or even wondered where Pete or Mary were, assuming they would be nearby, fighting along with everyone else somewhere on the High Street. It was battle and you couldn't let your mind wander. Pete, as it turned out was in the thick of it. He was not happy about being used and sick of being thought of as weak so he took the opportunity to prove them wrong. Mary was fighting too and her target was Mulcibur. She had been training for this since her attack and she'd learned a thing or two.

Severus Snape hung back with Regulus Black in the shadows cast by the street lamps and shop windows and they watched the mayhem. They looked glum. This did not help their plan, furthermore, they hadn't been informed. The most dangerous Death Eaters in the world were part Voldemort's ranks and many were present in the streets of Hogsmeade tonight. This time they lacked caution. It was so loud that individual curses were difficult to hear but the results could be seen all around them in the fallen; some bled profusely others looked untouched, some were rolled into a ball of agony, while others wandered aimlessly, staring, completely unaware of anything.

It only took a second. Both wizards watched as a jet of green light flew toward Mary McDonald from the wand of Bellatrix Lestrange. Mary simply dropped to the muddy, slushy street and was no more. The battle continued around her fallen body as Regulus and Severus turned to look at one another. Severus was the first to speak.

"I don't know how much use Pettigrew will be now ... without her to protect. Bellatrix always did lack restraint."

"A bit over enthusiastic wouldn't you say though, she is thorough. So much for that plan. They may be on our side Severus but they aren't very clever, are they?"

"No Regulus, they are not. Do you think he knows they are here?"

"I doubt it. She was never one to ask permission, even from The Dark Lord. And, it's unlikely they will face any repercussions. He's always had a soft spot for my cousin, The Dark Lord."

"He has. I think it's a weakness if I'm honest. What about our plan, eh? Well, I guess we'll just have to come up with another one."

Then both young wizards melted into the deepest shadows.

Night fell properly, quite soon after the attack began and the battle raged on. Curses flew, incantations bellowed reverberated off Shield Charms. Wand light danced in terrifying colors! Screams of fury and agony mingled in the din and everywhere, those who could, fought on. Presently, Dumbledore Apparated onto the High Street and as soon as they saw him the Death Eaters began to Disapparate, fleeing the scene, running away from just one wizard! The entire Village, every student along with trained Aurors who had just been fighting for their lives, paused. All it took to drive the enemy into hiding was the appearance of this one wizard: Albus Dumbledore. The entire mass of remaining witches and wizards were stunned at this turn of events, silence fell over the High Street. They gaped at Dumbledore in disbelief, relief spreading across faces from the young to the very old.

The High Street ran with blood. Fallen witches and wizards were everywhere. Mars was the first to shake off her momentary paralysis. She moved with determination to reach the fallen and see if any were still alive. Sirius moved with her almost like a dance, providing her cover though, cover had just been rendered moot by the appearance of their Headmaster. Dumbledore watched as Marlene McKinnon attended to the needs of the fallen and he was nearly overcome by her courage of conviction and Sirius Black's determination to protect her. Soon, the rest of the Marauders and their Minions followed her example and the sound of earnest, productive work returned to the High Street. Soon, Madam Pomfrey Apparated along with the rest of their teachers.

"I brought stretchers, medical supplies and help. Don't move anyone until you get the go ahead myself or from Miss McKinnon. My God Dumbledore what happened here?"

"Hell. Hell happened here, Poppy. How can I help?"

"Firstly, collect everyone who can walk and get them into the carriages and back up to the school. Shield them so they make the journey. Keep them in the Great Hall until I can have a look at them. I have called for Mediwizards from St. Mungo's so they should be here shortly. I'll keep Miss McKinnon and her friends here to help me; they would never let her stay here without them anyway. That witch is a Healer; she'd never leave the wounded."

"I'll do exactly as you say, Poppy. Some refreshments? What would be best? The house elves, will offer."

"Yes. That should be fine. Calming Drafts I should think in a tea. Obviously hot chocolate would be medicinal as well. Blankets. Wrap everyone with a blanket whether they think they need one or not. They will all be suffering from shock. Don't let anyone wash up just yet; I like to see them as they were at the scene of crime. Once St. Mungo's can take over here, we'll return. Thank you Albus. I can't be in two places at one time."

Dumbledore merely nodded and turned away from his Healer to cast a weary look, over the scene. All his informant's intelligence had failed once again. His students, his village, his friends were again victims, of Voldemort. He had failed them. Shaking his head to ward off self-loathing and shame he began to call to those who were still on their feet. He could follow Poppy's instructions and that would keep the crush of sorrow at bay long enough; it was something he could do and he must do what he could. Action always helped and action was what was needed now.

It seemed that no one among them was unharmed. The younger students were bloodied from their courageous attempts to help. They were so overjoyed to see their Headmaster they naturally gravitated toward him and formed a group, collecting as many as could move on their own. He could see Miss McKinnon bent low over someone, surely to whisper encouragement; she was a natural, Miss McKinnon. Mr. Black was with her, serving as her guard and following her instructions. The Healers were in charge of everyone now.

Then, Dumbledore saw her bearing change, she dropped to her knees and her head dropped completely onto the chest of the person on the ground. He instinctively moved her way but as he got closer he could tell that Miss McKinnon found someone who would not rise again. He turned to his group of students and spoke. "Everyone get into the carriages and we will all go to the castle together. I'll be right behind you." The students turned to obey their Headmaster and he proceeded toward Miss McKinnon.

As he got closer he saw who it was that had broken Miss McKinnon's carefully composed professional distance; it was Mary McDonald. A moan of sorrow escaped his own lips and he went down on his old knees right in the middle of the slushy, reddened snow on High Street. But he had to get to Miss McKinnon. He rose and walked wearily toward Marlene McKinnon, Sirius Black and Mary McDonald. He reached his destination and once more went down to his knees, this time to comfort his young healer in training. Together Albus Dumbledore, Marlene McKinnon and Sirius Black grieved for a fallen friend.

"What do I do Professor? Oh God, where's Pete? He can't see her like this! Please Sir, find him and keep him away from here until we get her back to the school and clean her up. This will break him!"

For the second time that night Dumbledore obeyed the command of another and crawled up off the filthy ground and went in search of Peter Pettigrew. Mr. Black remained at Miss McKinnon's side. Then, Dumbledore found Mr. Potter and Miss Evans. Perhaps they found him. He was certain that he was beginning to suffer from shock as well but it would have to wait. He rallied and asked them if they would direct him to the location of Mr. Pettigrew. The look in his eyes spoke volumes and shaken by the open grief on their Headmaster's face, without a word, they simultaneously pointed in the direction of Pete. Dumbledore sighed, left them and walked towards Mr. Pettigrew. This was going to be a long and terrible night.

There could only be one reason why the Headmaster would be searching for Pete. Lily and James turned as one, looking frantically around for Mary. Or Mars or Sirius or Remus or Dor, anyone who could tell them what had happened to cause Dumbledore to go in search of Pete and allay their worst fear. They spotted Sirius and Mars. They were on the ground, covered in red, slushy snow and mud. Mars appeared to be crying while Sirius held her in his arms.

Hot, burning tears came before she could stop them and Lily broke into run, grabbing James's hand and dragging him behind her. They bolted for Mars. They literally slid in and Lily joined Sirius, on the ground, enveloping Mars while James just stared mutely at the form of Mary lying on the ground. He instinctively went down to his knees and held Lily while she openly sobbed alongside Mars. They're crying, barely audible now was the sound that alerted Remus with his werewolf hearing to their location. He grabbed Dor's hand and together they made their own way over to the pile of their grieving friends. Frank and Alice, noting their destination followed leaving Dumbledore all alone, to deal with Pete.

Mary McDonald was dead. Alice and Dor wailed when they saw Mary laying in the mud. It was the sound of Alice's and Dor's wailing that caused Pete to turn around and he found himself facing Dumbledore who stood alone in the street between himself and his wailing friends. He looked past the Headmaster to the pile of of grief at the other end of High Street. Then he tore his eyes away from the scene and looked at Dumbledore again. Dumbledore moved toward Pete while opening his arms. That one motion, offered to him from his Headmaster, told him everything. Peter Pettigrew dropped to his knees right there and broke down in silent, wracking sobs, in the middle of the filthy, bloody street. Pete knew. Mary was gone. His Mary was gone… Pete had nothing left to live for, all his dreams were gone, they died with the witch he loved.

The rest of that night passed like a nightmare. Though he was getting up there in years, Dumbledore was still quite strong but sadly, he was no a match for the agility of a young and determined Peter Pettigrew. As Dumbledore closed the gap between them, Pete rose to his feet and dodged the elder wizard and charged down the High Street toward his fallen witch. Sirius had taken the time to look up the street keeping his eye out for Pete and he was the first to see him, barreling toward them. Sirius touched both James and Remus on the shoulder and nodded Pete's direction then he moved to stand pulling Mars up with him. James and Remus did the same with Lily and Dor and Frank, noticing this stood and lifted Alice right off the ground.

Pete slowed as he got close and began to walk with care so as to not disturb the filth around his Mary for fear that he'd accidentally add it to her remains. Her remains … He looked down at her beautiful face through tear filled eyes and he wiped them away furiously. He kneelt at her side. He found her hand in the bloody slush and lifted it with his own. His friends gave him space but moved to encircle Mary and Pete.

Far up the High Street, Dumbledore witnessed the scene as if he was having an out-of-body experience. He was paralyzed with dread. He watched as Pete bent low and kissed Mary on the mouth, on the forehead and on both her temples, he found her other hand and lifted both crossing them gently over her chest.

Back down the High Street, at Mary's side, Mars had closed Mary's eyes as a healer would do and Pete felt momentary anger that she had done this. He'd never again see his Mary's amazing blue-green eyes looking at his. He moved around her and straightened her legs out and covered her body with his cloak but left her face uncovered. Then sitting at her feet, looking at only Mary, Peter Pettigrew wept.

He's friends did not move to stop him, comfort him or interfere in any way. They were heartbroken too and they reached out to hold the hand of the person next to them and there they remained until Pete was done. Then Pete looked up to his Marauders and saw Sirius first. For the first time, they held no certainty, no confidence or anger or mischief. All he saw was despair. Then he looked at the rest and they all looked the same. He needed help! Frank was the first to respond, coming closer and kneeling down to help him lift Mary off the street. Immediately Lily, Mars and Dor dropped their wizards hand and moved back out of their way.

The four of them lifted Mary as gently as they were able and placed her on a stretcher that simply appeared. Each took a handle, rose as one and began to walk toward the castle. Dumbledore waited for them and he would walk behind them all the way back to the Castle, completely forgetting his other charges who were obediently waiting for him, in the carriages. With one thought Dumbledore commanded the carriages to move and they led the broken party carrying Mary McDonald back to the castle. Lily, Mars, Dor and Alice were lighting the ground with their wands, alerting their wizards for rocks and ruts to avoid and Dumbledore remained at the rear of this procession walking beside Pete.

No one noticed how cold they were nor that they were covered in blood. By this time the witches were shaking from shock and fear and sorrow but they carried on, all the way to the castle grounds where the wards allowed them to pass and they crossed the grounds eventually coming to the stone steps which they slowly climbed, looking back to the stretcher-bearers to be certain their steps were sure. Eventually they passed into the Entryway. It was so bright in here! The doors to The Great Hall were open and muted voices could be heard as the heartbroken party eventually entered The Hall, witnessed by the whole of Hogwarts.

They were met by a stunned Professor McGonagall and she silently led them to one of the house tables where the carefully laid Mary down and then stepped aside. Professor McGonagall's composure broke and she openly grieved, she held herself high, back straight, shoulders square but her hand clutched her chest and she let the tears fall. Dumbledore stood right next to his Deputy Headmistress and let his own fall as well. Madam Pomfrey arrived presently with a white sheet and looked to Pete as if to ask his permission. Pete nodded and Madam Pomfrey covered Mary's body completely. When this was done, Pete's friends turned to him and he finally let them wrap their arms around him. Pete was in such a state they had to support his weight lest he fall completely to the floor. James, Sirius and Remus held him, he kept his feet with their support. Then when he could take it no more, he grabbed all three of them and held on like his life depended on them; it seemed that it always had. The rest of the group broke away and moved over to unoccupied table where they were instantly offered blankets and hot beverages by the house elves. They numbly accepted these offerings. Still, no one spoke; what was there to say? Death was final.

Mars was the first to come back to the present. She was roused by the sounds of people in pain and fear. She'd been sitting on a bench, curled up in nearly a ball, her legs bent and pulled up to her chest, her forehead resting on her knees, her electrum plait hanging almost to the floor was soaked with snow-melt, red with the blood of Mary McDonald. She lifted her head up and looked around the Great Hall; Madam Pomfrey was inundated with the wounded and so she rose from her place and walked toward the Healer re-plaiting her hair as she went. "Where do you want me?"

Madam Pomfrey looked up gratefully at the selfless witch and smiled a weak thank you. "There are open wounds that need cleaning, closure and bandages; start there while I tend to mending bones. St. Mungo's may be in the Village a while so for now, we are on our own." Mars walked up to the nearest house elf and asked his name.

"I am called Nifty Miss."

"Alright Nifty, could you help me? I'll need warm water and some clean bandages from the hospital. My medibag is also there and it will say McKinnon on it; it should be in Madam Pomfrey's office. If you could do those tasks for me I can get to work straight away." Nifty disappeared and Mars got to work.

"Mars? What can we do?" Lily asked just as Nifty reappeared with Mars' bag and she opened it.

"Hey Lily, Dor, you could follow behind me with Dittany from my bag and then once we make our first pass we can come back and bandage those wounds that need it."

"Madam Pomfrey has already arranged them into priorities so we'll see to the worst first."

"Thank you, Nifty. Nifty these are my friends, Lily and Dor. They are here to help."

"Hello Nifty." Lily and Dor said.

"I know these witches. They are the Marauder's witches: The Minions. I can bring more help. We elves could set up cots with blankets and float your patients onto them if that would help."

"It would help a lot Nifty." Mars replied offering Nifty a weary smile.

So, the work to heal and care for all the wounded began. There seemed to be so many this time. The prefects moved through the Hall accounting for their House's students and noting their injuries. The third and fourth years, led by the house elf, Nifty, brought clean blankets and fresh pillows to everyone. The Heads of House were reinforcing the school's wards. Order grew from chaos. Faces showed relief at being once again safely within the walls of the Castle and grateful for something to do.

Mary's body was moved to the room directly behind the Great Hall and Pete moved with it. Mary's parents soon arrived by the Floo Network, chaperoned on their magical journey by Kingsley Shacklebolt and Dumbledore escorted them to their daughter. Remus was helping to keep the youngest among them, keeping them students occupied by simply listening to their fears and trying to reassure them. James Flooed a message to his parents who arrived quite quickly. Euphie went straight to the triage area with potions aplenty while Monte found Professor Slughorn. Monte provided a mobile potions kit which they set up right in the Hall and together the two Potioneers quickly went to work, replenishing the school's stock of Calming Drafts, Dreamless Sleep, Pepper Up and Essence of Dittany and the like.

In the wee hours of the morning after the Valentine's Day Massacre, as it was now being called, most of the Great Halls occupants had been seen to and were resting comfortably, sleeping on cots if they were more seriously injured or just gathered together in groups on the floor, tucked in fluffy purple sleeping bags that Dumbledore had provided. Pete had been sedated and moved to hospital. The McDonalds had been offered a room for the night. All of them had lacerations, sprains, strains and other injuries that had been ignored until Madam Pomfrey saw to them herself.

Exhausted from working all through the night, Mars was attended by Sirius. He washed her face, hands and arms with clean warm water and dried her skin with fluffy warm towels. He rinsed her hair till the water no longer ran red and wrapped it in a towel. He levitated some towels around her and changed her out of her filthy clothes and into pajamas. Then the towels fell to the floor and he combed out and re-braided her hair. It was an intimate moment graced with boundless care and concern. Then Sirius made her drink hot sweet tea laced with medicinal fire whisky and fed her toast with butter and honey.

Lily and Dor were not as in need of cleaning exactly but their wizards did wash their hands and faces, following Sirius's lead and they too drank tea and ate toast. The whole of them had taken up a corner in the Great Hall. They too had purple sleeping bags laid out for them by Nifty and his crew. All together they curled up right there with the rest of the school, on the floor and eventually they all gave in to exhaustion. Curled around one another just like they did the morning after the Halloween attack and fell into an uneasy sleep right there in the Great Hall along with everyone else.

By daybreak, which came with unseemly haste, most of the older students had woken and were being fed a proper meal by busy house elves who brought breakfast to them right where they were, on the floor in purple sleeping bags. The mood in the Hall was somber and the noise level was kept to a low hum. Those who were fed first rose from their spots on the floor and dragged themselves back to their common rooms to get some proper sleep in their own beds. The population of the Great Hall was diminishing and the Gryffindors, last to leave, made their way to the Fat Lady who looked at her sad lot and simply opened to admit them. This time, rather than sleeping in the common room they all went in pairs to the boy's dorm and piled into the boy's beds in pairs. None of them felt like being apart from their friends. Here at last they slept hard and did not wake again until the sun had crossed the Scottish Highlands at its very low angle and began to set.

Lily thought she was the first to wake and she noted the scent of James. They were curled around one another in his four-poster with blankets up to their chins. Lily lay there, awake in his arms and just drank him in, the feel of him, the sound if his soft breathing, the regular beat of his heart underneath her finger tips. Lily felt terribly grateful they they were alive and well and safe. This thought of gratitude brought with it all her memories of the night before. She felt a terrible need to account for her friends so she rose just a little and looked around the darkened dorm. She could just make out the sleeping forms of Remus and Dor on their sides, facing each other, hands intertwined. She looked over to Sirius's bed, careful not to move her head too much and she saw Mars and Sirius curled front to back, Sirius's arm over her hips, his head tucked into her hair, like a cat. She heard Alice's soft snoring and saw that she was curled safely in Franks arms. Then, she listened for Hero. He was curled around James's ankles, purring.

James, was awake as well but reluctant to move or show any signs of being so as he knew once he did, the day would begin and this moment would end. It was much needed comfort after the horrors of the night before. Lily, lay wrapped in his arms, their legs were laced and he caught her scent and was being tickled by her hair. He ignored this and just concentrated on the present, she was here and she was alive and warm and he sent thanks to the heavens for that one miracle. Then he thought of Pete and his body stiffened a bit, Lily kissed him on his neck and Hero rearranged himself on James's ankles.

"Morning Lily," he whispered.

"Morning James," she whispered back.

After long showers the eight Gryffindor's made their way down to the Great Hall. The house elves served brinner and it was consumed with the hunger that came with exhaustion and grief. It was Sunday evening and the students knew Dumbledore would want to address them so they lingered, quietly discussing all of the events of the previous night while carefully avoiding Mary's death. That conversation would have to come but it could come later. Mighty flew into the Hall to deliver the Daily Prophet as he had done all year and James looked up to his beautiful owl and heaved a great sigh. Mighty dipped his great white head toward James's face and nudged his master in a way not un-similar to Hero nudging Lily. James gave his owl a nudge in return then reluctantly, removed the Prophet. Not wanting to open it, he bided his time by offering his bird some bacon and juice. He looked out around the masses of students lingering here and found Snape and Reg looking, if it were possible, a bit confused. Was it possible that they had no prior knowledge of the Death Eater's attack? He'd have to talk to Sirius about this. Sirius could talk to Reg as if he came anywhere near Snape he'd be tempted to hex him into his next life whether he know about the Death Eater attack or not. Sirius caught his eye and nodded imperceptibly toward the Slytherins and James knew that the look on Reg's face spoke volumes to Sirius. Perhaps they really didn't know. A meeting in the Room of Requirement might be in order. Eventually found his parents up at High Table quietly conversing with his teachers and their friends. Their voices were hushed but their faces were intense. There was much to discuss and all of it was deadly serious.

"Thanks Mighty." He said automatically and the weight of his great bird brought him back to the present.

The owl looked at him with what seemed to be compassion and blinked solemnly as if to say that he understood and then gently took off for the Owlery. James looked for encouragement from Remus and Remus just nodded in a resigned sort of way. Emboldened, James opened the paper and flattened it in front of him.

Valentine's Day Massacre in Hogsmeade; Death Eaters Escape … un-apprehended!

Last night Hogsmeade Village was the scene of the worst Death Eater attack to date on the Magical Community. So far, the death toll stands at thirteen. Students attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry were enjoying their traditional Saint Valentine's Day Saturday in the all-wizarding village when the attack began just before nightfall. Many were among those injured, several of whom were transferred to St. Mungo's in the early hours of the morning. Scores of witches and wizards were among the injured including many residents and shop owners. While their names have not yet been released owing to the need to inform their next of kin, there were fatalities. The Death Eaters were reported to Disapparate from the scene at the arrival of Albus Dumbledore, the ancient schools current Headmaster.

The Magical Community is in shock today and are asking where was Law Enforcement? Why weren't more Aurors dispatched to the scene? Why were so few Aurors stationed at the school? Where are the Death Eaters responsible? Where is Lord Voldemort? How are we to put a stop to the escalating violence that permeates our towns and villages? What might happen next time? What is the group, calling themselves The Order of the Phoenix doing to help? Who will give the families of the dead justice? All those asked declined to comment including Alastor Moody, (Head of the Auror Department), Albus Dumbledore, Bartemius Crouch (Head of Ministry Law Enforcement) and even our own Minister of Magic, Harold Munchin. The Magical community deserves answers to these questions!

James read the article aloud and there was a group sigh and shaking heads but no one could fault the Prophet today because all of the questions posed needed answering. The accuracy of the death toll was not something that they could question but they were all glad Mary's name did not appear.

"I'm beginning to feel quite useless! We are completely powerless to do anything to stop this nightmare or even slow it down." James whispered in a defeated voice that Lily had never heard before. She discreetly took hold of his hand under the table and he took hers into his own and they gave each other's hands a gentle but firm squeeze.

"Let's hear what Dumbledore has to say first James and then we can have a meeting amongst ourselves. Maybe it's time to step up our participation in the Order whether they want us to or not." Sirius suggested.

"Your right Sirius, maybe it is time." Remus took the Prophet from the table and pocketed it. There might be more inside but he didn't think that reading any more of it would help.

Dumbledore rose to address the residents of Hogwarts, he looked very grim. "Classes are cancelled all next week. The Hogwarts Express will arrive tomorrow to escort you home. The funeral date, time and place for Miss McDonald will be announced shortly and the specifics will be posted on common room notice boards sometime today. I am sure that some parents are asking themselves if it is safe to attend Hogwarts. The truth is that while we may not be exactly safe here, I don't think anywhere is safe anymore. It is my hope that you all will return. While you are away, we will be strengthening the castles wards. Meetings will be held to find answers to the same questions as were aptly asked in The Daily Prophet. Anyone who does not wish to return home will be allowed to remain here but you are all encouraged to attend Miss McDonalds funeral as we, the staff and myself, will be attending."

"As Miss McDonald was a Muggle-born witch, her funeral will be carried out in Muggle society in order that all of her family members may attend and therefore you will all be expected to behave accordingly. But, her parents made it clear to me that her Hogwarts friends were her closest friends and they would very much like you all to be there when they lay her to rest. I would like to say that the murder of Miss McDonald has deeply saddened me. Mary was a brave and talented witch but more importantly she was a kind person and a loyal friend. I know many students who will struggle with her murder for a very long time. I would like for all of us now to raise our glasses to Mary McDonald, who departed this world far too early and far too young." Everyone rose, held their glasses high and all together they said her name, "Mary McDonald". They stood, silently for a solid minute until Dumbledore spoke dismissing them.

"James?"

"Yes Lily?"

"I can't go to my parent's house. I can't explain why I'd be there or how and why Mary died. I would bring danger to my parent's home James! I don't want to leave you. I want to stay here, in the castle."

"Lily, you can come home with me. Or I could stay here with you, if you want."

"I want you to stay here with me; I couldn't bear to not have you near, to not know where you were or if you were safe! We could go home to Potter Manor whenever you like but I think we might be needed here. I can't be the only Muggle-born who will find this nightmare difficult to explain to their parents. I'd like to stay and do my bit for them. I'd love to see your family though so maybe a day trip?. I also want to do something for Mary's parents. Why Mary, James?"

"Honestly Lily, I don't know. Pete's a wreck. His parents owled mine and dad said that he's despondent one minute and angry the next. I'm really worried about him."

"I know. I am too. I've never known anyone who's died, well except for

my grand-parents but they lived a long and happy life. I never imagined that it would come to this, even after her second attack. Her being killed seemed outside the realm of possibility. What would Death Eaters hope to accomplish by killing her? Was it just because she was there, or because she is, was Muggle-born, or was it something to do with the threat against Pete?"

"I'm sure Pete thinks it's about the threat but I'm not so sure, it was all so quick and so random. Sirius and I both were watching Snape and Reg earlier and they lacked their expected smug expressions. I don't think they knew about the attack. I think it took them by surprise as well. We'll have to have a meeting in the RoR before everyone goes home. Come to think of it, I doubt any of us will go home. Mars won't as she is useful here in hospital, Sirius would rather be tortured than leave her here without him, Remus is a prefect so he'll likely prefer to stay and help however he can: with the little Muggle-borns. He does seem to have a way with kids. Dor won't consider leaving him here without her. Frank and Alice will stay. But I don't understand any of it either Lily. How did killing Mary further Voldy's cause? My parents, will be meeting with Dumbledore and The Order. Maybe we'll learn more from them. Anyway, we won't be the only ones to stay here. I think Frank might be spending some of the week at the Ministry; they have opened up Auror positions so Frank said he'd be volunteering, even if he is Head Boy. He said he could be stationed here as an Auror in training. He's clever, our Frank"

"That's right! I'm a prefect. I ought to stay. Thanks for reminding me of that! I can't even think. Now I can help whoever needs it knowing that we will all be here, together."

James looked at his lovely Lily, her head was supported in her hands, her elbows on the table, her face was careworn, her eyes were red and swollen, her hair was in a very messy pile tied to the top of her head and her robes were wrinkled. And yet, she was magnificently beautiful to him. Her heartbreak was heartbreakingly beautiful and James slid closer to close the gap between them.

"Lily. I don't know how but we will get through this. We will take strength from each other and our friends and give it in return. I know that sounds like some ridiculous platitude but I have to believe that we will be stronger for having gone through this tragedy together. Without hope we are all of us, lost." Lily nodded to James and then looked up.

Sirius and Mars had gone to High Table to talk to Madam Pomfrey and they were returning, fingers laced together, looking as heartbroken as Lily looked and as James felt. "Well, it's been decided; were staying. Mars sent Persephone with a message to her parents explaining the situation in the hospital and I'll send word to Monte and Euphie with Freyja. I'd like to send a curse to Grimmauld Place but Mars said that it really wouldn't be all that helpful."

Lily and James actually laughed a little with Sirius while Mars just smiled and elbowed him in the ribs. Sirius always knew when humor was needed and never failed to provide. Sirius had always known when the curative magic that only a moment of laughter could provide, was needed. Remus and Dor were further along the Gryffindor table talking with and listening to the younger students. It seemed that everyone was trying to be a comfort to someone.

"I suggest that we all spend some time in the Hot Springs this week and as a healer in training I think I'm right in this." Mars stated matter-of-factly. "I'm sure I can get a couple of hours off. My parents have offered it to the staff as well so maybe someone could come up with a schedule."

Remus had just walked up to the four of them, one hand in Dor's the other made a chain with all the younger students, including the first year Gryffindors. "We're taking this lot to the prefect's bathroom for a swim. I thought it might lighten their spirits, all those taps and such. Wanna come?"

James was the first to answer and he had no hesitation in his voice. "Absolutely!"

The six sixth year Gryffindors led the disheartened youth from three of the four Houses out of the Great Hall. In a moment of inspiration, Mars actually walked over to the fourth and fifth Slytherins who had helped in the Halloween attack. They were comforting their own younger students. "We're taking this lot up to the prefect's bathroom. You're welcome to come along if you like."

Only this small number of Slytherin resistance fighters took Mars up on her offer but it was as she expected. So too, were hateful looks these rare Slytherins received from their house. They came all the same. With Remus and Dor in the lead and James, Lily, Mars and Sirius in the rear to keep any of them from wandering they trudged up the many stairs to their destination.

The bathroom, like the Room of Requirement seemed to know ahead of time what was needed or maybe it was an attentive house elf like Nifty but there were swim trunks and bathing suits for everyone and loads of fluffy white towels and refreshments while the sixth years provided supervision. It was fun to watch their faces when the taps did their thing. The pool filled quickly and the youngest students, jumped right in! The diving board had a queue and James, Sirius and Remus went into competition to see who could perform the worst dive. Lily, Mars and Dor hung back visiting with the young Slytherins who looked like they felt out of place but they had come anyway. This was the magic that Dumbledore frequently referred to and Lily was not about to pass up an opportunity to try and establish a healthy relationship with those who seemed to seek it.

"I wish I'd had Black's courage during my sorting. I hate being in Slytherin House. My parents said that during their time it was a much different place. Slytherin in their day was known for brains and ambition, not all this pure-blood nonsense."

"What's your name?" Lily asked the witch.

"Geraldine Pritchard. But most just call me Gerry. This is Madeleine Baddock but we call her Maddy. Those two in the diving queue are the Flint twins Felix and Frederich. Those two at the arcing tap, the little brunette is Penny Pucey and her friend is Beatrix Zambini."

"Well Gerry, as difficult as it was, what you six did today is the start and showed tremendous courage." Lily said encouragingly. "You may take a lot of grief from your house but the only way that all of this will ever stop is if someone has the courage you showed today; to step across the line and befriend their supposed enemy. And as I see it, you were the first to do just that. Maybe you could talk to Dumbledore? I'm sure he'd have some thoughts on how you all can make an awkward situation better. He's always been very helpful to me. Besides, Professor Slughorn is my favorite teacher, and for heaven's sake, Merlin was a Slytherin! If you ever need help, with anything like being bullied, come find me or any of us and we'll will do what we can to help."

"Thanks Lily. That's kind."

Two hours later a thoroughly waterlogged group of students all went their separate ways. It was not past curfew so they were not breaking any rules and all were escorted by older students. They all marched up the spiral stone stairs to the boy's dorm once again where they would all sleep, together. Frank and Alice seemed to have the same idea and showed up, hand in hand shortly after the rest and they too piled on Frank's bed, fully clothed. They were all exhausted. It had been a very emotional day and time for discussion was past. Eventually sleep took them all.

On the day of Mary's funeral, the weather was clear and cold. The service took place in Mary's hometown in the same church where she was baptized. Hundreds of people, Muggles, witches and wizards were in attendance. The witches and wizards came from all four of Hogwarts Houses and from Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. Pete stood with Mary's parents and his parents stood behind them; all looking lost, grey and heartbroken. It was a traditionally beautiful service and many of her non-magical family stood up in the front of the church and shared their memories of Mary aloud with complete strangers.

Every day preceding the service James, Lily, Mars and Sirius snuck down to Professor Flitwick's choir room, locked the door and set out to rehearse. The only thing they could think to give Mary's family was their music. It was one of only a handful of times when the three Gryffindors would ever perform for anyone outside their family and closest friends. But Mary was both so when it was Lily's turn to speak she went to the podium tear free for the first day since Mary's death.

"Mary was our roommate, the entire time that we attended school together we loved her. There are no words that would really do justice to the way Mary's friends felt about her presence in our lives nor about her absence now. It is our hope that this piece of music will serve to speak for us. Vocals will be performed by Sirius Black and Marlene McKinnon and they are accompanied on the piano by James Potter. If you know this hymn, please join us as we raise our voices to send our beloved Mary to a better place." Lily rejoined Dor, Remus, Alice, and Frank and left the rest to her trio of musically magical friends.

James sat at the piano. Mars and Sirius faced one another and then James began to play Morning Has Broken. Lily could scarcely breath for listening. After the assembled heard the first few notes they were struck silent when they heard the harmony and melody of this pair. If it were possible to sound better than they had before, they did. Today they sang, not for each other but for Mary. Allowing them to be heard over the hundreds of people in attendance, the mourners joined in singing softly as if to back-up the vocalists on the little stage. It was a singular moment in time that changed their unbearable pain into momentary joy. When their gift was complete, James rose from the piano and the three returned to their places beside Lily.


	22. Chapter Twenty Two: Back to Breaking Rul

**Chapter 30: Back to Breaking Rules**

"Aren't we supposed to feel better, after a funeral? I don't feel better. I just feel sad and worried about everything."

"Grief takes time Mars. I think a funeral is supposed to help us through this stage in grief." Sirius moved closer and took her hands in his. They all Flooed back to Hogwarts after the funeral and we're all hanging about in the common room; just the six Gryffindors.

"Kinda like suspended, directionless? I feel the same, still classes might help take our minds off all this even if it's just for a bit. I dread going to our dorm Mars because she won't be there," said Lily.

"It just all really hacks me off to be honest! I feel like hunting down all the Death Eater wannabes and taking it out on them! It is, after all their fault!" Dor couldn't sit in this agitated state so she just paced in front of the fireplace until Remus caught her by the wrist and pulled her down onto his lap. She hit him in the arm and then she kissed him on the mouth and tried to settle, there in his arms. He was her calm center and Dor was certain she'd come off the rails were it not for Remus's

ever-present presence.

"You're barkin', you know that, right?" Remus said after she let him up for air and tried to settle here in his arms.

"We need to do something. Do something useful about this. Pads, where's the Map?"

"Prongs, you have it in your pocket mate."

"Oh, right. Thanks." James pulled out the Map and touched it with his wand, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." The Map revealed the castle, all its passageways and then the occupant's dots appeared. James looked for one dot in particular; Severus Snape's. Snape's dot appeared along with Regulus's and they seemed once again to be on their way to The Room of Requirement. He sat there for a moment; he was overcome once again with a desire to know what they were up to, what they might know or discuss in the privacy of that Room. "Lily? C'mon. We've someplace to be."

"Where would that be James?" Lily asked rising.

"Just come with me. I'll tell you on the way."

James grabbed Lily's hand and they left the common room at some speed making their way obviously, to Barnabas the Barmy. He pulled Lily into an alcove on the way and showed her the Map. "This time, you and I are going to follow them in and listen. Are you good with that?"

"Definitely James! Get that excellent cloak out and let's be on our way!"

James and Lily managed to get to the corridor before Snape and Regulus so they waited. Lily's heart was pounding with the thrill of dread. James had never asked her to go on a mission with him before. Her eyes went from James's face then to the Map and she kept this up until she saw the dots of their quarry appear rounding the corner. Next, she heard their voices in whispered conversation. She pulled herself in more tightly to James so that she could mirror his movements as closly as possible. It wouldn't do to have a disembodied arm, or leg slip out from the protection provided by James's cloak. Though in a moment of madness Lily enjoyed the looks she imagined would appear on their faces if it were to happen. Then she realized that it all could devolve into a duel and squelched that thought. James was now rising from his semi-crouched position and Lily rose with him.

James moved them to the wall almost directly in front of the hidden door and waited while Snape paced three times making his wishes known to the Room. The door appeared and Snape opened it. James and Lily snuck in between them. James reasoned that since he'd successfully entered with them once before along with Sirius, the room wouldn't necessarily reject him. It had admitted four once before and he was counting on the room to admit four again. They were sandwiched in the middle so it would hopefully admit them as a group of four rather than as individuals. It was a risky move but James rarely worried about failure. If they were rejected then he might just get to duel Snape sooner rather than later. They were allowed in and James was not too surprised. He had a remarkable understanding of magical devices and his reasoning proved accurate once again.

Of all of Snape's faults, intelligence wasn't one of them. Snape was very clever and James never underestimated him. Reg too for that matter. For all he knew they might have an invisibility cloak too and might try something similar so he made a mental note to discuss this with Sirius and Remus and come up with a plan. Once inside, James led Lily off to the side of the Room as it appeared for these two; it was always prepared for the seeker. Now it was as it had been before: a very simple room with two chairs facing one another and little else, including space.

"Thanks to dear Bellatrix, our plan has altered. She changed everything when she killed McDonald. I don't know why the Dark Lord indulges her. She's unpredictable even in the best of times and she gets away with everything she does whether it's actually helpful or not. I used to think she was clever. Now I just think she's unhinged. But, she is singular with a wand so I'm not keen to annoy her. But, I digress. What matters now is we find some other way to obtain the information desired by the Dark Lord. Pettigrew would have been perfect but I believe that ship has sailed. He may be weak but now we have no leverage against him. If anything, he's probably even less likely to be useful." Severus finished.

"What about his own life? Surely, he values that. Or the lives of his friends? Surely one of them must have self-preservation instincts! You can count my brother out though, he'd rather die than betray his friends. Are they all like that really? So, devoted to each other as to be utterly incorruptible. Be willing to die for each other? I don't see the appeal of such loyalty?"

"Surely you have that level of loyalty to the Dark Lord Regulus?"

"Well, yes, but it's not due to some misguided need for friendship! I'm not in a hurry to die Severus if you must know but I expect that you aren't either. The Dark Lord's aims are what I am loyal to and he is the only wizard powerful enough to bring about the change we desire. He's certainly the most powerful wizard in the world. Some still say it's Dumbledore but I don't think so. Who would you wager on in a duel? Voldemort or Dumbledore?"

"Do I strike you as the gambling sort? Be serious Regulus, we have work to do! Come, let us see how your skills are coming along."

"Maybe we could go back to my original idea of befriending Evans?"

"You are young Regulus and regrettably, naive. Do you actually think you could befriend her now? Your cousin just murdered one of her best friends! You'll be lucky if she doesn't hex you into oblivion! You can't possibly think that you could fool her now."

"No. But I think I could read her. Evans is just like Potter and Meadows. They are all so unbelievably open! So … emotive! I, don't think that any one of them could hide an emotion, if their lives depended on it. Sirius is a different story all together; he can lie if he must and he would never reveal to me anything that would put his friends in danger. He loves them more than anyone and far more, I think, than he loves me. Now, if the life of McKinnon or Potter or Lupin was on the line … I still think they would reveal something, no matter how hard they tried not to. Lupin on the other hand has some Occlumency abilities as does McKinnon. While Lupin is likely well aware of his abilities though, I doubt McKinnon is aware of hers. C'mon Severus, you'd love to read Potter, wouldn't you?"

"Actually, no Regulus, I would not like to read Potter! I already know more than enough about Potter. And don't be too sure about Lily either. I was never able to read her and you know how strong I am. Now can we focus on our task here, or would you prefer to continue theorizing?"

"Fine Severus. Give it a go."

The two Slytherins sat face to face and commenced mental battle. Both faces were masks, but their eyes were open, each trying to invade the other's mind, each trying to prevent such an invasion. It was fascinating to watch, in a very creepy way but Lily did recognize the look in Severus's eyes, she'd seen it too many times. He had tried to read her! Dumbledore, had been correct about Sev. Lily wished she could know what these two were concealing now, not personal stuff from each other; she could care less about that. But what of Voldemort? What did they know about Voldemort?

"Regulus you have been practicing. I will pass your progress on to the Dark Lord. Now I suggest that we return to the rest of the castle. It's nearly dinner time and I'm actually hungry tonight. Do this much though, Regulus. Don't go off and try anything on your own. That seems to be Bellatrix's prerogative and though the Dark Lord indulges her, I doubt he would you."

"I will do nothing without speaking with you about it first."

It had been less than fifteen minutes. Just as he had done with Sirius, James forgot and left the Invisibility cloak on. Finally remembering he uncovered them and they both let out a breath that neither noticed they were holding.

"So now we know who killed Mary." Lily said shaking her head in disgust. "She killed Mary just because she was there!"

"We know more than that Lily! We know how Snape feels about you. Well, I've always known how he feels about you. He did try to break into your mind and concealed this desire to violate your mind from you! We know that Remus and Mars have been observed and that they are considered able Occlumens by two who think themselves skilled enough to judge. We know that Bellatrix Lestrange is a favorite of Voldemort and gets away with murder. We know that they did plan to use Pete and now maybe won't. We know that they didn't know about the Death Eaters attack ahead of time. They know that you, me and Dor are hot heads who tend to show more than maybe we should. We know Regulus actually admires Sirius and is jealous of his friendships and loyalties. We know they know how devoted to each we are and there is still some notion of using our feelings for each other against us. We know they think we are incorruptible. We know that Snape doesn't get why he couldn't read you because you are too open, like me and so you should, by his logic, be readable. We know that Mars and Remus and I could become targets and would be used as leverage against you, Sirius and Dor. We know they admire Remus's ability to conceal the truth. We know that Regulus is a bit fixated on you. We know…

"All right James! I get it! We do know a lot. Well, we both do now as you've shared all that with me! Dumbledore was right when he said that you didn't need to be a Legilimens!"

"Dumbledore said that? When were you and Dumbledore discussing me, Lily?"

"Well to be honest, nearly every time I speak with Dumbledore he manages to bring you into the conversation. It was when I went to him after our excursion to the Whomping Willow. When he cautioned me against, manipulating, people's feelings. He had quite a lot to say about you actually. Used you as an example."

"An example of what? Recklessness? Overconfidence? Well ... are you going to tell me what you and the Headmaster had to say about me?"

"Of course, James if you'll let me. I asked him about training me to defend against Legilimency. He explained what defenses I already have and said a true heart, contrary to _their_ opinion is the best defense against invasion of this type. I'd told him that Snape and Reg thought my _true heart_ was a weakness and he told me that they were wrong. He explained the type of person who resorted to Legilimency, as a substitute for having actual relationships, said it had to do with being ashamed. He used you as an example of the type of person who had no need of either Occlumency or Legilimency because ... well because you just didn't need it. He said that you were already comfortable with who you are, that you can learn from your mistakes and that you have no need hide. He said that you possess all the skills to learn almost everything fundamental about a person almost instantly and that you are probably not actually aware of how you do this. We agreed that you could never be read by the likes of Reg or Snape. He said that you are quick to judge but are almost never wrong. He said that you are honest and loyal and that you too, have a _true heart_."

"Oh. Well, that's OK then." James actually turned very red. He looked down at his shoes and thrashed his hair, licked his lips and tried to clear his throat.

"James. Everything Dumbledore said about you is true. He didn't say you were perfect just that you had very admirable qualities and he seemed pleased that I was finally seeing them. Actually, I also listed some of your traits, during the conversation and he told me basically that I should trust you. I do trust you James and so does Dumbledore." Lily looked up into his eyes to make sure that this was registering and just as Dumbledore would have said, James accepted Lily's words, not as compliments rather, as a fairly accurate description of himself. "Anything else you want to know?"

"No Lily, that's quite enough to be going on with. I just didn't know that you and Dumbledore discussed me. That's all."

"Actually, he was the one who brought you into the conversation; he tricked me into telling him that I fancy you. He's brilliant, our Dumbledore. It's actually easy now to see how he knows everything that goes on here, he just gets it out of you somehow. He didn't read me. I just confirmed his suspicions in the context of our conversation. Anyway ... what of all that we learned? Don't you think we should go and share this with our friends?"

"Yes. Of course, Lily. Just one last question."

"Yes James?"

"You do fancy me, right? It's just, sometimes I worry. It seems too good to be true, that you should care for me. I've wanted this for so long I worry I might be making us out to be more, well, more than we really are. Sometimes I worry that your feelings will change. I mean this isn't just happening inside my head? It's real, right? You and me?"

"Of course, it's happening inside your head James, but why on earth should that mean that it's not real? We are real James. You and me. James and Lily. Lily and James. You fill my brain! Maybe Dumbledore overestimates your abilities. I would have thought you'd exactly know how I feel about you." Lily smirked.

"Excellent! There's no need to be so clever Lily. I have moments of insecurity no different to everyone else."

"Yes, James but the difference is that they are just moments. That, and you take me at my word because you know I speak the truth now. You know my words and my actions match and where you're concerned, come straight from my heart to yours. I'd never lie to you James nor try to deceive you in any way. I'll never play with your feelings. Remember, we're hot heads! Wear our hearts are on our sleeves! Apparently, that makes us poor liars! C'mon. We have a surveillance report to give the Marauders. Speaking of which, when will I get to just be a Marauder and not a Minion?"

"I think that this operation qualifies you for full Marauder status. We'll vote! Be advised Lily, it requires a ceremony; becoming a Marauder."

"Now who's being clever?" Lily smirked as the left the Room together.

Just over an hour later, James and Lily had explained the whole of their spying operation and they waited for the rest to respond to the news.

"Well, that was quite some mission. Should I be jealous Prongs? Have you replaced me with a witch?"

"Don't be stupid Pads, of course I have!" James teased. "Lily did fine though; I say we make her an actual Marauder; have the ceremony." He looked at Sirius and Remus for confirmation.

"All those in favor of granting Lily, full Marauder status, raise your wand." Remus said, sounding serious but he was working to keep a straight face.

James, Sirius and Remus all raised their wands.

"Vote is unanimous! Motion passed! Welcome Lily! Now to the ceremony … a shot which I have just happen to have in my lucky pack." James retrieved his bottle of medicinal fire whiskey and poured them each a modest measure. They all shot it down in one.

"Thanks! It's as good as being appointed prefect!"

"As good as all that, eh Flower? All those in favor of rescinding that last vote, raise your wands!" Sirius looked mutinous.

"Sirius! I just mean it's a big deal for me! Don't kick me out! Purlease!"

"We won't on the two conditions. One, that you never whine like that again and two, that you say here, in front of all of us, that it is better to be a Marauder than it is to be a prefect!"

Lily looked into their faces; James, Sirius and Remus and realized that becoming a Marauder by a vote of her peers did mean more to her than being appointed prefect. It meant friendship and loyalty and being part of something. It meant being important to her friends. It meant having a magical family. It meant they trusted her! It never was about mischief or rule-breaking; it was, in Dumbledore's words, about love. These three wizards were family by choice and now they had just included her.

"It is! It is better to be a Marauder than it is to be a prefect!" Lily blurted happily.

"Fine. All's forgiven Flower. Be sure we don't regret it!" Sirius admonished with a wink.

"So, Snape and Regulus, they think you four are hot heads huh?" Remus asked pointing out the four hot-heads. He was in a very good mood, must be mid-lunar cycle. "They're right you know."

"Yes, yes we know. They also think that you are secretive Remus!" Lily countered.

"Well Lily, I am secretive! I make no secret of it. You would be too I you were me."

"Is this about your Lycanthropy Remus?" Mars asked quietly looking at Remus's profile.

"Mars? What are you on about?" Remus turned toward Mars slowly, fear filling his eyes.

"Too late Moony. She's known for a while. Figured it out about the same time as Flower and Dor!" Sirius said proudly. "Face, it mate, you're stuck with us! We all know!"

"Oh." Remus instantly looked very vulnerable but Mars placed an open hand on his shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"You need say nothing Remus. We love you, furry little problem and all! We've known for a long time. Did you ever once sense that we held it against you? Did you ever think, even for a second that we don't both trust and value you? Well, did you?" Mars pressed Remus for an answer.

"I never even knew you know so … no. I don't know what to say. Thanks." Remus conceded and gave Mars a grateful smile.

"Well, you could say that Dor and I are Marauders as well, seeing as we figured you out years ago. C'mon, give us a vote! And the ceremony!"

Remus, grateful beyond words that he had such loyal friends spoke first. "All those in favor of Mars and Dor being granted full Marauder status, raise your wand." He waited and six wands rose. "You two can't vote yet!" Remus admonished, shaking his head. "Only current Marauders can vote in new Marauders. Honestly …" Mars and Dor lowered their wands, glowering at Remus. Four wands remained. "The vote is unanimous! Motion passed! Welcome Mars and Dor! Another shot is required. It's the ceremony…. James, if you would."

James poured them all a modest measure, they shot it down in one and the newest Marauders all yelled, "Huzzah!"

"I told ya Remus! You are so stupid sometimes. You have the best friends in the world and a hot witch too! I bet some would swap with you if offered." Dor teased while she scolded. It was her way of getting her point across without hurting anyone. Remus appreciated it and knew she was right.

"Maybe but they would have to go through transformation first! But, thank you all anyway. It's a load off actually. I may be a good liar but I don't like keeping secrets, if that makes any sense?"

"Not really Moon-man! Still, I get what you meant to say." Dor grinned with her whole face and kissed him square on the mouth. He came away dazed.

"I am the most fortunate werewolf! I put forth that we should add that 'Huzzah!' to our ceremony."

James and Sirius said simultaneously, "Let it be done!" and so it was.

"Well, you're the only werewolf we know Remus and like Sirius said, you'll never be rid of us now. Not to put a dampener on all this but I just realized. We have class tomorrow. Pete's still not back. I wonder how he's feeling? I hope he's OK. We are really going to have to be very kind to him when he returns," said Lily.

"We are. I can't imagine how he's coping. I'd be a head case." James said looking at Lily the whole time. She saw fear cross his features and she walked right over to him and wrapped him in a hug.

Mars added her own thoughts. "We can't think like that or we'll all become paralyzed with fear. We just have to have faith that one way or another, everything will work out the way it's supposed to. I have to believe that anyway." She had Sirius's hands in her own and she was looking at them as if to memorize them.

"Mars is right. I feel like doing something Marauderesque! Let's sneak out of the castle tonight and go to Hogsmeade!" Dor offered, looking around expectantly, waiting for them to either agree whole-heartedly with her idea squash it instantly.

"We could you know. We haven't done much proper rule breaking all year! C'mon! Moony, Prongs, Flower, Mars whatdayasay?" Sirius said.

Remus looked at James and they both looked at Lily, who looked at Mars. "I'm game Lily if you are?" Mars said simply.

"Well...since we're all Marauders now how could I say no?" Lily added.

"Dress darkly and warmly. Meet you back here in fifteen minutes. Don't forget your wands!"

"We won't James! It's like he's governor!" Lily whispered to Remus.

"He is, Lily." Remus whispered back once again, educating Lily about James and his role in their lives. "He's our Captain Lily! Like I told you before, James has always had very protective instincts and we've relied on them for years. If he tells us to do things we'd do anyway it's only out of concern. Left to Sirius we'd either be in dead or Azkaban. Worse yet, we'd be expelled! Left to me, we'd ... well, we wouldn't break the rules. James is the best of both worlds. Sirius is our action man and James is our commander."

"What are you Remus?"

"Lily, I'm the cautious one. See you in a few."

It seemed that ten were now, just six. Frank and Alice spent most of their time now together, often in the Library. Mary was dead and Pete was absent. Lily, Mars and Dor decided to dress in all black, like burglars. Mars braided her glowing hair and put it up under a knitted, wooly hat. Dor and Lily copied her. With the prospect of rule breaking and the effects of fire whiskey, the largeness of their dorm without Mary was a little less painful. Nonetheless, now they were only six and it was a heartbreaking truth that tonight, they chose to escape that fact rather than face it just now. They were ready in no time, eager to not spend any time in their dorm.

"We need to have something to bring to the group, ya know? James has his invisibility cloak, they have their Map, Sirius has his two-way mirrors. Remus is a genius! What do we have?" Dor questioned.

"We bring the most powerful element of magic there is Dor! We're their witches! There is no more powerful magic; you know that."

"True Mars, still...I'd like to bring the toys too. Why is it we never thought to create a Map or figure out creative ways to break rules?"

"I dunno Dor, maybe it's because I'm a prefect!"

"No need for sarcasm Lily. You know exactly what I mean!"

"Well, they're hot blokes and that's what hot blokes do isn't it? They break the rules and make witches fall in love with them. It's unfair but a fact so I say let's be glad they are ours and get down there!" Lily almost looked as mischievous as Sirius could and Mars laughed at her metamorphosis from naïveté to Marauder. "You're priceless, ya know that Lily? James has been very good for you."

"Thanks Mars! C'mon. There's rules to break and the night is young!"

James was their leader and so he led. "So, tonight we'll be using the tunnel beneath the hump-backed, one-eyed witch," he whispered as they snuck out the portrait hole. Each of us will take each you to the passageway and we'll carry on once we're down. I think that Mars and Sirius should have the cloak because Dor will be with a prefect and so will I."

"You make me feel like a Nancy-boy! Ya know that, right?"

"Not at all Pads. No one is braver than you. I was just trying to distribute the tools wisely."

"So, let me get this straight. Remus and I, we're tools?" Lily blurted before they'd made it down the stairs.

"Of course, you are Lily! It's not a bad thing. You're more than that, too! I'd still love you even if you weren't a prefect. But, being a prefect has its advantages. Remember Lily, we're all tools of The Marauders. Each of us bring something that is useful to us all thus, … tools. Remus loves being a tool, don't ya Remus?"

"Love it James." Remus said with a genuine smile while checking to see that no one was in the common room. He nodded to the rest and they made their way down.

"Can we crack on? I agree with James. Sirius, cloak me!" Mars barked.

"Fine. As long as it's for Mars then of course. Hand it over." Sirius took the cloak and covered himself and Mars. "I'll let you know with the mirror." Since they were invisible no one would see them emerge from the portrait hole even if someone happened to be in Gryffindor's corridor. The portrait hole opened, seemingly of its own accord and they heard Mars' giggle fade as she moved out the portrait hole and into the corridor.

Five minutes later, Sirius's whole face was looking at them from the mirror. "C'mon. Coast is clear."

Remus and Dor were next and they just walked out the portrait hole, ignoring the Fat Lady's protestations. That left James and Lily. "Watch their dots Lily. See, there they are. And … there they go. Ready?"

"Absolutely!"

James walked with Lily out the portrait hole as well, Lily cheekily waved to the confused Fat Lady and they made their way to the hump-backed witch when they were intercepted by none other than Peeves the Poltergeist!

"That's pants!" James complained. "We could just do a runner?"

"Really? Won't he just follow?"

"Yea, but he wouldn't out us to Filch; he's a fellow prankster. Trust me."

"I do." Peeves spotted them and started calling them names like Potty Potter and Little Lily. "Little Lily? Wow Peeves is that the best you can do?"

"Students in the corridors!"

"Peeves! It's only four o'clock. We're allowed to be in the corridors!"

"So." Peeves challenged.

"Ya know Peeves, I bet I can get to Filch before you even make it to the second floor! Wanna bet?" Lily challenged.

Peeves shot down the corridor away from Lily and James. "He's awfully, gullible, isn't he? I thought you said he'd not out you!" Lily said shocked at this turn of events.

"He's off his game this year. It's worrisome. He is also vindictive when he's been made to seem a fool so let's get cracking! You haven't heard the last of this Lily. Still, I guess I was wrong but he is a Poltergeist so I should've never taken his past behavior as something to go on. Not that I've known many Poltergeists."

Breathless, James tapped the witches hump and the whole statue opened before them. It was a small hole but then again, it was a small statue of a small witch. Lily heaved herself in and slid to the bottom followed immediately by James.

"Peeves." James answered before he was asked.

"Right. He's off his game this year but then who among us isn't? It's been a dreadful year so far! Anyway, welcome ladies to the secret passageway to Honeydukes!" Sirius regained his heartbreaking grin and James and Remus bowed like Knights. "We've used this passageway for years, no one's ever caught us. Brilliant, isn't it?"

"It is. It really is. Where in Honeydukes does it come out?"

"Well Flower, you could ask or just follow it and find out?"

"No need to be rude Sirius. Just asking. Besides, I'm a fellow Marauder and entitled to ask what I like!"

"Entitled? Well, you've certainly put me in my place!" Sirius took the chance to secretly look at both James and Remus and mouthed, " _Entitled?_ " They all had to stifle their laughter. Lily could be tyrannical when tested and none of them were in the mood for seriousness just now.

The six Gryffindors followed the passage for a long time before they met the stairway. They climbed until Dor hit her head. Rubbing it, she punched Remus, who was right behind her. Remus punched James. "That's from Dor! She says thanks for the 'heads up'!"

"Good one Remus!" Dor said proudly. "So, what do I do now?" Dor asked in an irritated whisper, rubbing the growing lump on her head.

"Slide over Dor and we'll move it out of the way. Remus will go first, check the coast and let us know. Off you go Moony." James encouraged. "It's his tool, Werewolf Super-Senses, you see."

"So why is Dor allowed to ask questions eh?" Lily taunted them and they all just shrugged under her stern gaze. She, in turn laughed out loud at their foolish faces and those faces changed rapidly to Lily scowls. "Just joking." She added hastily.

They moved the stone aside a bit and Remus listened, smelled then nodded and they slid the stone some more. Remus peeked his head up and climbed out. He looked around; the coast was clear so he reached his hand down to Dor. Once everyone was out the witches looked around. The really were in the cellar of Honeydukes! Then, they followed their wizards as they snuck up the rickety stairs.

"Your turn James. It's clear." Remus said confidently; it was good to use his werewolf senses for Marauding.

"Sweet!". James opened the door from the cellar to the shop and the place, as usual, was packed. He reached out and took Lily's hand. They exited the cellar and were met by a counter so she immediately ducked down and James grinned, "Marauder indeed!"

"I though Remus said the coast was clear?" Mars asked in a somewhat panicky voice.

"Clear enough Mars." Sirius whispered in a voice he hoped would satisfy and silence her.

"You're all, cracked!" Mars whispered with exasperation.

Crouched low, James and Lily moved from behind the counter and out into the shop where they pretended to be shopping. "Just carry on Lily. They'll be along. Got to trust the wizard behind you to know what he's about. Just don't be too surprised, they never fail to impress."

Exiting Honeydukes, all the witches were laughing.

"This is how you have spent five years of magical education?" Mars scolded in a spot-on imitation of Lily. Lily elbowed her and she in turn elbowed Dor squeezed in between them and elbowed them both. It was good to be out here, away from the castle, it's sadness and just have a laugh!

"Absolutely Mars and this is just the surface of what we've got up to. Anyone fancy a fire whiskey?" James asked and holding Lily's hand he led the way to The Hogs Head.

"It's about time! I feared you'd decided to become law abiding and all that rubbish!" Abe greeted them with a smile on his face.

"It's been a crap-week Abe!" Sirius stated seriously. To this bald and, very sad pronouncement, Abe frowned. It had been a crap-week!

"Crap for you too, eh? We, needed to get out, break a few school rules and have some fun. Do a bit of drinking, dueling and snogging! It's high time for a Marauders return!" Sirius said casually leaning his elbows on the bar. "Join us! You've had a crap-week too.

"I have, indeed. Well, lay your Knuts on this bar Sirius Black and I'll keep you well fueled!"

"Eeeww!" snorted Dor. Lily and Mars snorted a bit too and Sirius just glared at them.

"Six shots of fire whiskey please. We're trying to corrupt young Messer's Potter and Lupin! The rest of us are all legal and legit. Wow! We're legal. It's only just occurred." Sirius sounded stunned by this.

"Yes! We're legal, Sirius. It's a good thing. We're adults. I can't believe it. I'll never have to live in the Muggle world again! Well, if that's not something to drink to I dunno what is." Lily chortled.

"You're a cradle robber Lily!" James accused affectionately.

"That I am James and you'd be wise to remember it."

"Of course, Lily. I'll do anything you say!" James teased right back.

They found a table and for about half an hour Abe did join them. They told him about what was happening at the school, about the new safety measures in place for their protection and how it was ruining their youth. Abe enjoyed their company and laughed right along with them as they recounted the newest Marauder's first trip through the secret passage way beneath the statue of the hump-backed witch. After all, Abe had attended Hogwarts too and he shared a few of his favorite stories from his time as a student. Then he begged they excuse him, he had a business to run. He took his leave and went back to tending his bar.

They sat around all their little table together drinking, telling stories, teasing each other, getting a bit tipsy and basically enjoying themselves for the first time since Valentine's Day, before the massacre. Eventually they bid Abe adiue and left the Hog's Head. Next, they went to The Three Broomsticks. Rosemerta too, was pleased to see them and asked about Pete. They explained that he had yet to return to school and that Pete was taking Mary's murder quite hard

"Who could blame him, I say. They were just getting started on the greatest of life's adventures, those too. It's a terrible shame about Mary. Their whole future together, extinguished in an instant." Rosemerta said thoughtfully and sadly.

They ate finger food and visited with the patrons of the little shop. It seemed that James, Sirius and Remus knew everyone in Hogsmeade. After a while they decided to just walk and take advantage of the space and the night air. It was cold, a wet cold and they did a lot of snuggling to keep warm. Never one to go anywhere unprepared, James had his lucky pack with him and was surprised that Lily had brought her little purple suede bag.

"Who's surprised now?" She challenged.

"Not me. You're a Marauder. I'd expect nothing less." James covered his surprise though probably not as well as he'd liked. He'd remember to never underestimate Lily in future.

"You expected this." Lily wagged the little purple bag under James's nose. "Witches!" Lily shouted. "Remember Dor's complaint in the dorm? Let's go to Zonko's! Maybe we'll find some other useful _tools_ in there." Lily said sardonically as she led the way now, at speed, the rest hurrying in her wake.

In Zonko's the witches bought a wide variety of products certain to provide a distraction when needed, including a box of Filibuster's Wet-Start, No-Heat Fireworks, Dungbombs and Nose-Biting Teacups. All of these and more besides were greatly welcomed by their wizards.

"They learn fast, these initiates!" Remus praised them aloud and the witches looked truly pleased.

"I think we should walk up the road to The Shrieking Shack. It doesn't scare me since I know that ghosts aren't responsible for all that goes on there." Lily suggested.

They walked in a wall of six, two by two. It was nice being away from the castle and away from everyone's scared or sad faces constantly mirroring their own. The moon was out and only halfway through the cycle but it was bright enough to see the Shack from the road.

"Someday we'll take you inside. It's not much but it's private and holds a lot of memories. It's strange, the whole rest of the world thinks of it one way and we, I mean I think of it another." Remus looked panicked at James and then Sirius. They just looked right back as if to say, no problem Moony. Hopefully they would doge this bullet.

"Remus? Could I ask you a question about...you know...being Moony?"

"Sure Lily. Why not?" She hadn't seemed to notice the 'we' so that was one bullet, dodged.

"When you're transformed do you remember what happens? Does any of Remus remain when you're a werewolf?"

"Well ... I think differently so my memories are intact but not as a man. I remember werewolf memories. I used to try to forget."

"Are you lonely when you're, you know, Moony?" Mars questioned.

"I don't know. Maybe. It's strange but even when I'm Moony, I always seem to remember the rules. I stay in the Shack and just try to wait for it to be over." Remus was a little panicked but he hoped he covered it well. He'd had years of practice lying.

"Moony is only alone for the shortest time possible. Madam Pomfrey is always timely dropping him off and picking him up. I'm freezing. Whatdayasay we make our way back to the castle?" Sirius rubbed his palms together to emphasize how cold he was. They were a good team these three Marauders. It was their last lie and none of them were quite ready to give it up.

Lily recognized the caution in Sirius's voice and assumed it was because she was asking Remus very personal questions. "I'm sorry Remus. I shouldn't have asked. Let's get back and have one for the road in The Hogs Head before we head home?" she suggested innocently.

The three Marauders privately wondered how long their last secret would remain a secret. Evidently, they all could be trusted, that was not in question. But their last secret, was not just a secret; being an unregistered Animagus was illegal. It was bad enough that Remus was a werewolf. They were all breaking at least one law that could get them locked up in Azkaban and truthfully, more than one. They weren't supposed to know about Moony. That was also illegal. They'd agreed not to reveal Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot or Prongs under any circumstance save, a life or death situation. It was their greatest blunder that they'd already shared one such life or death experience with an enemy! It was an irony that they had been forced to share Moony, at least, with the one wizard in the world they least wanted to know; Severus Snape!

That whole fiasco had been life or death, literally! Still, the Animagus secret had not needed divulging then. Snape knew about Moony but he did not know about Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs and he never would as long as they were alive to keep this from him. Eventually, The Marauders got past this, Remus forgave Sirius and eventually James did as well. Only after these two stepped across the forgiveness line, did Pete follow. He took his ques from them. He always had. Sadly, with all his faults Snape was a brilliant wizard and not to be under estimated, ever.

As James walked back to the pub, holding Lily's hand he remembered her say just today that she would never lie to him. She would never deceive him and now he felt like he had broken that trust without doing a thing. They would have to have a meeting when Pete got back and discuss how to deal with this. James didn't think Pete's feelings about his answer would be the same now as they would have been before Mary was murdered. He felt his friend, Pete, their friend was slipping away from them and it bothered him. He started to try to shake off a new, unbidden feeling of betrayal the only now began to emerge. He felt, like they had betrayed Pete tonight. They'd come here tonight, without him. They'd never done a Marauder mission without Pete. Then he realized that they'd also voted on a motion without Pete and inducted three witches into the Marauders. All without Pete! He wondered if Sirius and Remus had realized what they'd done and if they felt strange about it. It was like Pete had left them already, threated by Slytherins or not, they were just carrying on like his absence didn't matter. He'd betrayed Lily and he'd betrayed Pete. He was a terrible friend. Suddenly he felt like crap and wanted nothing more than to get home safely and go to sleep.

Nonetheless, they returned to The Hogs Head for a night cap. After not too long, the witches were just pissed enough, so James decided that it really was time to go home. If it were just the three of them it would be different but it was not just the three of them. They were six now and though their new inductees did not know, nor would they, he, Sirius and Remus were responsible for their well-being or at least they did feel responsible for them. They'd turned these wonderful witches into rule disregarding, possibly law-breaking Marauders! He knew the witches wouldn't like this protective attitude but that was too bad. It was what it was. They were neophytes after all. Then there was Pete. His is worry for and about his friend would not leave him be. But now was not the time to put anything on the line as they had done before. Their witches may be Marauders but James knew that these three witches held their hearts in their hands. They had taken it far enough.

"I'm knackered. Let's go home, shall we?"

"Me too. Besides, we have class tomorrow. Ladies, if we want excursions like this to remain just between us then we only to break school rules when we play by Marauder rules! Home; before we all wish we'd stayed there!" Sirius spoke this with much more seriousness in his voice than Lily had heard from him since their chat at Potter Manor and she suddenly realized that they were out, away from the protection of the castle. She had broken trust with Dumbledore and even if it was only just this once, she felt badly about it all the same; she was a prefect and she was breaking rules. Suddenly all she wanted was to be back in the castle where she belonged. She remembered that all three Marauders had mentioned, more than once that Dumbledore knew everything that went on inside and outside his castle and she felt sure that somehow, Dumbledore would learn they were out of bounds tonight. She didn't like this feeling and was glad that the others wanted to go home too. How did Remus do this, break the rules that he was charged to inforce?

"I agree with Sirius. Mars? Dor? Back to the castle, eh?" Remus added.

"I'm ready to be wherever he is." Mars giggled in a tipsy sort of way, nudged Sirius a bit and wrapped him tighter in her arms.

"I'm ready for bed." Dor said in her silly pissed voice and she was looking lustfully at Remus while she said it.

"Home it is Dor and to bed I think." Remus knew that Dor had randy plans for him which played into their hands just now so he went along with her flirtations. If it got them home safely it was welcome. Why did it suddenly feel so reckless? It seemed like a normal thing to do only hours ago and now, all he wanted was to get these witches safely back to the castle.

Before Honeydukes closed they all managed, with the use of the cloak and some clever distraction, to make their way down to the cellar door and through it to the passageway to Hogwarts.

"I feel better already. Do you ever feel like that when you come back from Marauding? I mean without us."

"Honestly Lily? No. When it's just us blokes, danger never seems scary, it's like a challenge and not to be an arrogant-toe-rag but we've gotten into our fair share of scrapes and made it out the other side. We're very good together so the risk is part of the thrill. With you three, it feels different. Thanks for agreeing to come back though. And for going! But mostly I feel better knowing that we aren't out there anymore, exposed. It's not the same breaking the rules when someone you love is at risk."

Lily was silent and she followed James through the tunnel back to the castle. He'd said the word love again. They walked slower now and everyone's whole demeanor relaxed a bit more, the closer they got to the safety of the Castle. Mars and Sirius were whispering into each other's ears and Dor and Remus were laughing while Dor kissed his neck. They were, all of them, different now. Not bad different, but certainly different. James took out the Map and two by two, they reemerged into the safety of the corridors of Hogwarts. It was just after curfew so they hightailed it to the common room, were scolded by the Fat Lady and when they came through the portrait hole they all breathed a sigh of relief. If this was growing up, it was only fun some of the time.

Eventually the serious mood they all seemed to share had left them entirely. There were good night kisses and the wizards frog-marched their witches to their dorm. Classes mattered now, more than ever. They wanted to learn everything possible to prepare themselves for the war that was waiting for them.

Once inside the safety of their dorm and certain that Frank was not here Sirius spoke up first. "Is it just me or is it different, with them I mean?" He asked quite seriously.

"It's not just you Pads. I thought I was fine until Lily asked about Remus's transformations and then suddenly I felt like a liar. Then, I felt like a fool to take her out there when just over a week ago, our friend Mary was murdered on that very street. Remus, you handled that really well, by the way. Then I realized how many secret things we did tonight without Pete and I felt pretty much like a crap friend. We voted in three new members and went on off campus, both without Pete! And while I haven't exactly lied, Lily told me today she'd never keep a secret from me. In other words, she'd never lie to me and I feel like I am lying to her by omission. I think we are going to have to tell them, sooner rather than later. I would rather they heard it from us than found out some other, unexpected way. Who knows what this year might bring? Can you imagine how we'll feel when they look at us like we've betrayed their trust? The way this year is going, I expect that there's more awful things coming and ... I dunno. I just feel like I'm keeping a secret from her and its disagreeing with me."

"Me too Prongs. I've thought to tell Mars loads a times. I think when we see Pete we ask him if it's OK to tell our witches. I just wish that Mary was here for him to tell her too. He'll probably either be really mad at us for letting the witches in or he won't even care. Both outcomes bother me." Sirius finished with a frown.

"It is up to you two as, I am not an Animagus. I support whatever you decide but I do think that you regret telling the truth less than often you regret telling lies. I'm just saying." Remus said sagely.

The Marauders climbed into their four posters alone. Even that felt weird, wrong somehow, being alone without them; their witches. This year seemed to be like that, very up one minute and then very down the next ... with not nearly enough in between. With each in their own thoughts slowly Sirius fell asleep, then Remus and lastly James. It always took James a while to let go of the day and quiet his mind. He also felt responsible for anyone he was with and thought he should fall asleep last. So, he always did just that, he fell asleep after everyone else. Only then, when his people were safe and sleeping could he give up the day and let sleep take him.


	23. Chapter Twenty Three: Their Last Secret

**Chapter 23: Their Last Secret**

The end of February saw Remus through his first transformation surrounded by friends, led by his feisty witch. This was infinitely better than the secrecy and shame he'd felt before when he'd wake in hospital, alone. It was a gift to wake now and see all their faces smiling him their support and acceptance. And, they always brought more chocolate! Now that Remus considered his secret, it wasn't a very secret secret. While it was never mentioned, truth be told, loads of people knew! His closest friends, his family, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Pomfrey and the rest of the staff not to mention Snape and whoever Snape told or would tell when he was feeling spiteful. It had to be one of the most widely known secrets in Hogwarts history; Remus Lupin the Werewolf. In all likelihood Euphie and Monte might suspect him as they were far too worldly and clever not to have riddled it out for themselves. Possibly the Potter house elves knew. Wik was not one to be fooled.

He'd underestimated the lot of them. As he hadn't known friendship before Hogwarts he realized now that friendship had powerful magic of its own! A priceless gift, capable of perhaps, anything. All those times he thought that only the Marauders and the staff knew when in fact so too did Dor, Lily and Mars. How had he ever thought he could keep this, his lycanthropy, from such astute witches? He wondered what else they knew but didn't say. It was agreed amongst the six to not mention the official Marauder induction of Dor, Lily and Mars, to Pete, given his fragile state. It had to be managed carefully and Pete would learn it from himself, James and Sirius. It wasn't a lie, exactly, just a temporary omission. Still, it was another secret, just as James had said earlier, by omission. Pete needed time to bear his grief. Remus reasoned there was such a thing as too much truth in any relationship.

Pete returned to Hogwarts a week after the rest. He made an effort to appear to look and act normally, however normal was expected to appear after … Mary's murder. He knew it was a half-hearted effort at best. He was thinner, peaky and spent long periods of time in a state of suspended, hopeless silence even when in the company of people who claimed to love him best. For the first time since coming to Hogwarts being with his friends didn't help. Not being with them would arouse suspicion and James certainly wouldn't miss it; he never missed anything! Pete simply couldn't bring himself to talk about it with anyone, least of all his three best mates. If anything, their efforts were making Pete feel worse. Pete's resentment quietly grew. He couldn't shake it off nor could he take it in. Mary was dead. Apparently, it was Bellatrix Lestrange who wielded the wand yet, Pete still felt responsible.

Furthermore, in his absence, James, Sirius and Remus decided that they felt dishonest about not divulging their Animagus forms to Lily, Mars and Dor and told him they wanted him to agree that they could be told. Frankly, Pete couldn't care less. He couldn't summon the energy to care. What did it matter to him now? Finally, they would all know he was a coward, couldn't produce a Patronus and took the Animagus form of a rat. It was fitting. They were so annoying, his friends. They made an effort to not act too happy about their lives, when they were in fact, deliriously happy. Pete hated them for it; they still had a choice. Their witches were alive. And he hated himself for hating them. He was ashamed.

Then there was Dumbledore. He'd never taken any interest in Pete's life until Pete's witch, was murdered. Seemed a bit too circumstantial and Pete felt certain the Headmaster's new-found interest in him was strictly war related; it had nothing to do with Pete personally so he resented Dumbledore and felt ashamed of that too. Pete hoped, on one hand, that this grief and resentment, would pass. On the other, it gave him a focus, something to put his back against and he needed that. He certainly wouldn't talk to anyone about his _feelings._ Who did that sort of thing, really, talked about how they felt? Wizard or no, it wasn't very British to share one's feelings. He was too ashamed of feeling this way and ashamed that it gave him some kind of courage. Just for today, at least, resentment was power.

The beginning of March brought bitter winds that tore at the skin and made the castle very drafty. The wind brought with it snow, sleet, hail, freezing rain. Rain that fell as a deluge and as droplets. It hovered as a soft, almost ethereal mist and as mist the cold of it got right into your bones. Sometimes all this variety of weather came their way in a single day! It was in this month, the single worst of the year for weather, that Gryffindor would play Slytherin. The Quidditch season had been wrecked by the year's tragic events: both Halloween and the Valentine's Day Massacre broke the normal rhythm of the season, practices were interrupted, shortened, sporadic and with the emotional state of the Castle's inhabitants, a lot more seemed to be riding on the outcome of this match than the match itself actually warranted.

Furthermore, Slytherin, for all its faults usually had a very strong Quidditch team but now their team consisted of newbies; only Reg had any experience. I would be a slaughter. It wasn't the final, the cup was still up for grabs but students in every house were behaving as if this match was the final; an omen, as it were, for the outcome of the war. Slytherin House was believed by nearly universal consensus to be responsible for all the tragedies that had befallen the Castle this year so, everyone was rooting for Gryffindor! A Castle-wide need for retribution was expected and a Gryffindor win would provide its supporters with some level of satisfaction.

James and Sirius desperately needed an outlet and Quidditch would provide! They too, held Slytherin House responsible for everything that was going wrong not only at Hogwarts but in the entire magical world and who could blame them? Slytherin House openly supported pure-blood superiority. Its members openly expressed contempt for Mudbloods and blood traitors and had repeatedly acted on this contempt. Only Slytherins became Death Eaters so far as was known. Oddly, they didn't hold such animosity toward half-bloods. This was curious. Did they think that the half-blood was somehow innocent of the crime of being born with one Muggle parent, like it was only half as bad? Neither James nor Sirius could understand the logic behind such stupidity but they overheard whispered conversations in the corridors or during mealtimes. It was faulty logic but logic of the enemy, nonetheless.

Apparently, being a half-blood was forgivable according to this faulty logic. They had the misfortune of one Muggle parent but even witches and wizards weren't in control of who their heart chose. Or maybe it was simply because Lord Voldemort was a half-blood though The Marauders were certain that Voldemort hid this from his followers, he was a powerful Occlumens. It was typical! Muggle-borns, referred to by these fascist's as Mudbloods, were considered unnatural, a mistake. They couldn't comprehend how these unnatural creatures inherited their magic if no one in their family was magical so they decided that the Muggle-born had somehow stolen their magic. Magic might skip generations as was evidenced by the existence of Squibs. If so, then it was possible these oddities might have a long lost and perhaps forgotten magical ancestor. Surely, magic was not some random gift!

The Ministry was actually looking into just this question, trying to track down the magical ancestors of Muggleborns. Some in the Ministry were doing this to protect and validate Muggle-borns but there were others in the Ministry who had a much darker agenda; to prove magic was, in fact, being stolen. Lily became a subject of these inquiries as would Mary have, were, she still alive. Lily's powerful magic had drawn the attention of everyone, including the enemy and James, Sirius and Remus were secretly acting as her guard with discrete help from Mars and Dor; she never went anywhere on her own.

The morning of the match dawned cold and windy and James as always was the first in his dorm to wake. As was his custom, he just listened for morning sounds. He could usually tell a lot about the day ahead of him just by listening. He sat up a bit in bed to get his ears out there, crossed his arms behind his head, kept his eyes closed and concentrated on listening. The wind was howling and there were no bird sounds. It had a humid, violent quality that told James it would be cold for the match. Once the sun rose, the wind would likely pick up as heat from the sun served to stir the air. He could not hear rain so he checked to see if he could smell it, the smell of light, drizzling rain that was so common this far north. There was a hint he noted, with some disappointment.

Next, he listened to his sleeping friends. Remus was still sleeping. He wasn't even sure that Remus knew this but the quality of his sleep was a good barometer for the day. Werewolves were extremely sensitive to their environment. When all was copacetic, Remus slept easy, when there was trouble brewing, Remus did not. Remus was in between. His breathing was regular and deep but he was restless so James noted this as well. Sirius either slept like the dead or didn't sleep at all. This morning he was sleeping like the dead. Frank was not in the dorm and James knew that he'd be in the library studying. Frank was a gifted wizard but also a devoted student and never took his gifts for granted thus, he studied all the time. Pete had always been a good sleeper but when James listened for him his sleeping sounds were absent.

James reached for his glasses and found Pete's bed empty. This disturbed him. One, he should have noticed Pete's absence first thing and two, it meant that Pete still wasn't settling in to life without Mary. Did he think Pete couldn't look out for himself? Yes. He did think that Pete needed looking after, especially now and were this a criticism of Pete or not, it had always been the case. It was also, based on the evidence of nearly six years. James needed to try and let these thoughts go. He had always been terrible at both, letting things go and criticism of himself; these too were based on evidence as all good self-knowledge must be. His difficulty sleeping, his infallible memory of everything, his obsessive need to plan. Still, he made an effort again for the billionth time to let at least, some of these thoughts go. What he really needed was a Penseive, like Dumbledore's, so he could set some of the billions of thoughts he had running through his mind all the time, aside.

Perhaps that's why Dumbledore had a Penseive; an inability to let things go. Still he made the effort every day to focus on the present and went through his routine like a meditation. Part of his routine was to feel the present state of his body and banish stress by forcing it to leave. He did this by stretching his whole body, large muscles first then he concentrated on the smaller ones, paying attention all the while to each muscle. He always stretched in the morning; it felt good. Then he quietly rolled out of his bed and padded over to the bathroom. He stopped and examined Pete's bed. He'd slept here at some point but it was a mess so he'd not slept well. It no longer held any residual warmth so Pete had left some time ago. James noted all of this as he closed the bathroom door and turned on the shower and let the water finish the stress reduction that stretching might have missed. He beat all those worry molecules and thoughts right out of him.

After a long shower, James exited his bathroom in a towel only to find Lily sitting on his bed looking rather owlish. She blushed when she saw him and she allowed her eyes to linger as they slowly rose to find his face. He stood where he was and allowed her to view him just as he was, wet and in a towel, again. Using a second towel in his hair and looked right back at her while drying his dripping hair. Her blush started at what he could see of her chest beneath her pajamas and rose slowly to the top of her head. This sight always pleased him; it was a flush really and he was the only one for whom Lily colored like this. It was not embarrassment, it was arousal so he moved toward her with deliberate care to not wake the others. Her eyes were dilating now, her breathing quickened and he could see her pulse pick up in the hollow of her throat. James had a flash of memory, looking at Lily's color rise for him. He used to think that it was her temper because in the past, she was frequently so angry with him but she always colored like this for him as far back as first year. He felt wonderfully satisfied at the clarification of this memory; she had fancied him! Even then! Of course, as a boy he wasn't to know what these not so subtle queues meant and as a girl, neither was she.

She was looking at him now with undisguised desire and he couldn't help but smile and try not to laugh; he didn't want to be rude. Lily, with increasing frequency, caught him naked, well not naked but clad only in a towel and always when they were not alone. So, she was testing the waters, treating herself to arousal, in a place where it could not be acted on. That was interesting. She was a most unsettling witch, his Lily. He felt a need to punish her for this, lovingly obviously, but punish all the same. He sat down next to her, very closely and his towel though still on, opened along his thigh and sat much lower on his back. He looked at her and allowed his own arousal to fill him up so that it showed in his eyes as well. He leaned over towards her, looking away from those green eyes he deliberately looked at her torso, then at her neck and whispered very softly into her ear, just touching his lips to her rosy lobe, "Good morning Lily." He nuzzled her neck with his face and placed his open hand on her belly; he felt her heat and this pleased him as well.

This dance, the to and fro of arousal was addictive. He didn't even feel the typical, uncontrollable, adolescent urge to take it further since that would mean that all of this, this hot, delicious, un-satiated desire would be fulfilled and therefore, change. This was just enough. He could test the waters too. Discover all of her places of pleasure, drive her mad with desire for him. It was a noble goal and he planned on doing this whenever she found him essentially naked in front of other people. He liked to see her unravel in his presence and she seemed to unravel whenever she found him only in a towel.

"Oy! You two! Get a room!" Sirius, was awake and threw his pillow at them. Had James not been seated, he would have lost his towel!

James looked at Lily. She could explain herself and this new habit she had of stalking him. He just waited, he didn't look at Sirius or the now waking Remus, just at her and she became flustered. Still, he waited. She swallowed, closed her eyes in an apparent attempt to block her brain from the nearness of his near nakedness. He could see she had to make an effort and it was very satisfying. Then she realized that James was doing this on purpose. She slid away from his intoxicating presence and gave him a look that said without words, 'two can play this game' and he looked right back at her with equal conviction as if to say, 'bring it.'

"Oy! Can either of you even hear me? Moony, I think they have gone deaf from lust!"

"I'd say that was a fair diagnosis Pads. You take the shower next, you've got a match and I'll babysit the children."

In less than an hour, the Gryffindors and their Quidditch team entered the Great Hall. They had made an art of this, their entrance, and the Hall burst into applause and boos and hisses and the standard name calling that preceded a Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin. All of Gryffindor was a great swath of crimson and gold! Magical banners that called out cheers and certainty of a Gryffindor victory. Lily was again wearing his Captain's jumper as she walked into the Great Hall. There was space left at the back third of the House table for the team and their partners. They always timed their entrance to be after the opposition and the opposition never seemed to realize that this act alone gave Gryffindor an advantage.

James made a point to look for Snape. He knew it was immature but he couldn't help himself so searched the Slytherin table and found Snape. He received a look of open distain and James found himself smirking as he glared right back into those unreadable eyes. He had his arm around Lily's shoulders and his smirk smoothed into a genuine smile; _to the victor_. Then he looked to the rest Slytherin House to find the rookie team looking to their own captain, Regulus Black, who was captain only because he alone hadn't been suspended after Halloween. Regulus was a brilliant Seeker but he was young and inexperienced in his new-found leadership role. Nevertheless, he was still their captain and they looked to him for leadership. Regulus was indeed, Sirius's brother. The Black's had a certain casual confidence that came from being, well ... Black's. It was probably in their breeding, for lack of a better descriptor as much as it was from their upbringing; they were an ancient Pureblood family and it showed in their bearing and manner. It certainly showed in their appearance. Black's had a look that could only have been inherited.

Regulus looked a lot like his older brother but where Sirius had an open and vulnerable quality to his confident grace, Regulus had a closed and controlled quality to his. They had the same grey eyes, the same build, the same black hair though Regulus wore his shorter and well groomed. Their mannerisms would reveal their fraternity if nothing else. The way they moved and spoke were so similar and yet so different, like a poor copy of an original, James thought. Regulus gesticulated exactly like Sirius and though James was sure that Regulus was unaware of this as his mannerisms were also, his 'tell'. James could glean a lot just from watching Regulus. Regulus commanded the eyes of every witch in Slytherin House and many of those in other houses as well. He straightened a bit when his glance took in the admiration of so many witches and he raised and lowered his hands in a group shushing motion to still his house and demonstrate is Captaincy. He was practicing control of his part in this scene and James couldn't help but admire him.

All leaders had to inspire to command. It was plain to see that Regulus was growing into a leader among the Slytherins and James couldn't help but feel a little sad about it. He would have made a great ally had the world been different, or had Regulus made other choices. James sought out Snape again to see his response to this unfolding scene and was not surprised to find he looked almost bored. Here he was, meant to groom Regulus and he seemingly ignored this opportunity to gather information about his apprentice. But, James had earned to never underestimate Snape and his inscrutable eyes. He knew that Snape missed nothing. Perhaps Snape didn't want Reg to notice his surreptitious observations. James couldn't help but dislike Severus Snape even at a distance. He was too closed for James's liking. Anyone who worked that hard to avoid revealing even the most insignificant part of himself, to anyone, had to be a liar and a sneak and James was sure that Snape was both. A person who never allowed their feelings to show was not the kind of person James could ever trust, let alone like. He could use this on the Quidditch pitch so he let his dislike of Snape smolder.

"James!" Lily called his name.

"Yes Lily?" James tore his eyes from Snape and looked down at his lovely Lily. She deserved nothing less than his undivided attention whenever she wanted!

"Sit. Eat! You have a match to win!" She patted the seat next to her. She was clever, Lily ... she sat facing Slytherin House so he climbed in right next to her, slid close so their legs were touching and tucked in.

"Welcome to the most anticipated match of the season! Today we will be treated to Slytherin verses Gryffindor!" Emmeline's voice carried with her Sonorus charm and the crowd went wild. "Standing in first place please give a round of raucous applause to Gryffindor, led out, unconventionally by their newest star, Seeker, Siobhan Shanahan!" The whole stadium was upstanding in their appreciation of this little genius and applauded Shanahan as she led the team out and flew a lap around the Pitch. "Next we have the Beaters, Black and Meadows, the Keeper, Thomas and rounding out the first string, the Gryffindor Chasers...McKinnon, Johnson and Potter!"

"Challenging Gryffindor today, please give a round of applause for Slytherin House, led traditionally by their brilliant Seeker and new Captain, Regulus Black!" All the Slytherin's were on their feet, screaming and shouting their team into the stadium. "Slytherin House has a very new team and we're excited to see how they do against the well-established and talented Gryffindors. Firstly, we have the two new Beaters, Flint and Parkinson! The new Keeper, a beast of a player, Goyle and finally the Chasers, Pritchard, Baddock and Crowder!" The applause from Slytherin's section was loud and enthusiastic. "Last but never least, our official today and what would a match be without her, the one and only Madam Hooch!" Everyone cheered Madam Hooch; she taught them how to fly and they loved her for it!

Madam Hooch, dressed in her trade-mark stilettos and Zebra best called to the Captains. James flew down to the partially frozen field to shake hands with Regulus. Having no fear of being read by this pup, James looked Regulus squarely in the eyes as he had nothing to hide. But he saw a lot and the first thing he saw there was a touch of...fear ... doubt?... confusion? James, never viewed this age-old custom as an opportunity to intimidate rather, to appraise and evaluate the mood of the opposing Captain and by extension, the opposing team.

"Good Luck Reg." James said sincerely all the while hoping that maybe this doubt he saw could be for the choices he had made; to side with the wrong side in this war. But James was not worried about the match, hopefully it wouldn't be a slaughter and would last more than five minutes.

Reg swallowed visibly but recovered his composure instantly, saying to James "And to you."

"Give us a good match! Play by the rules! Players in the air!" Fourteen players rose into the air, the Quaffle was released and the match began.

Lily, Remus, Alice and Frank were right in the front of the top box. They were surrounded by the first years who had made it a new tradition to go to all matches with their Head Boy and their favorite sixth-years. Absent was Flynn Ried a feisty little ginger, first year witch. She was seated next to Vance. Apparently, she was a commentator-in-training. There was another absence and it was worrisome, the absence of Pete. He was nowhere to be seen. Lily knew, as soon as James noticed this, he'd worry and worry didn't pair well with flying. Lily had a good view and she looked everywhere for Pete.

"Remus? Where the hell is Pete?" Lily shouted in his ear.

"No idea Lily!" Remus shouted back. "He wasn't in our dorm this morning and I don't think anyone has seen hide nor hair of him. If he doesn't show for the match, we'll know there's a reason to worry. Don't let Pete ruin this for you Lily. He's still grieving and all this excitement may not fit his mood just now. If he's feeling any better he'll join his friends!"

Remus as always, sounded logical and he did know Pete better than she did. Still, she'd never known Pete to miss a match, let alone Gryffindor verses Slytherin. Following Remus's wise counsel had never led Lily astray so, she turned her attention to the match. She was shocked to find that the scoring was almost even; 30-20, Gryffindor.

"What's he playing at Remus? James, I mean. Are they going easy on the Slytherins just because Regulus is Sirius's little, lost brother?"

"Don't be stupid Lily. If James has the team going easy, he'll have a good reason but I'd bet all the knuts in my pocket right now, we win! Wanna wager?"

"Well, for all your knuts Remus, who could resist!" Lily, saw Remus blush and she just laughed. Just the idea of Remus's knuts made her laugh. Blokes were strange. Wizards were too come to think of it. Knuts. I ask you who thought of a name like?

"It would appear that Gryffindor is ... training the Slytherin team! They've passed up numerous opportunities to score and one has to wonder what Potter's up to!" Vance bellowed as if to tell James to stop teasing the enemy and just kick them to the ground but her comments were drowned out by boos from the Slytherin fans.

Sirius and Dor were just as bad. They started obnoxiously, batting the Bludger back and forth between them while Mars, Johnson and James flew around, through and under the Bludger, casually passing the Quaffle back and forth as if they were playing keep away rather than Quidditch. Madam Hooch blew her whistle and called a time out.

"Potter! A Word!" she bellowed and James flew down to receive his scolding.

"What are you playing at Potter? This is QUIDDITCH! Not keep-away! This is not sportsmanship, it's a humiliation of the other team. I've a mind to penalize you!"

"Sorry Madam Hooch. It's just that all those Slytherins you see? They all want to become Death Eaters and Reg's cousin killed our Mary so ... I think they deserve all the humiliation that we can dish out." James replied with no humility what so ever.

"Well, when you put it like that, I can see your point, Potter. Still, this is Quidditch. Play properly or I'll be forced to bench your whole first string!"

"Awh, Madam Hooch, we're just getting started! Wait till we actually aim our Bludgers at them! They will be hospital bound before you can say Bob's your uncle! Besides, our reserves could bury them. Go on if you like. They could use the practice!"

"Potter you are infuriating!"

"Thanks! A quick teem meet. Five minutes?"

"Two!"

"Yes Mam!" James flew back up and called his team to a huddle.

"I say give the reserves a shot!" Sirius suggested loudly as the crowd noise was deafening.

"Let's at least get a good lead on them before we bow out!" hollered Dor.

"Fine. Score away!" James bellowed back and Gryffindor started to play.

Five minutes later Vance was happily yelling to the crowd.

"Gryffindor scores! That'll be 70-30 Gryffindor in the lead. Where is Shanahan? She could end this right now!"

Regulus called his own-time out. While he berated his team, the Gryffindor's made plans.

"James, have you learned what you needed to yet or do we have to keep up this charade?" Mars asked. She was obviously bored. All she wanted was a good match and that was looking very unlikely.

"I dunno. We could get the score higher and let the reserves have a go? I can't believe we have to play this out. We could let Shanahan finish it? A vote?" James smirked not even trying to control his face.

"All those in favor of letting the reserves have a go?" Sirius giggled the words out. The reserve players, himself and James and Shanahan favored this. All in favor of Shanahan finishing them off now? The rest of the team, a minority favored this option.

"Fine! Reserves take the field! Except you Shanahan. You stay here and finish this match when I say." James told her. "Give them some time to actually play and when we're up by 70 I'll send you back out. Feel free to do your thing."

"You do know James, arrogance is a fault." Mars snorted.

"Shut it Mars. I know! I know! I didn't plan on this! They're terrible. Poor Reg! Honestly, I'd hoped for better. But we take it as it comes and the reserves could learn a lot out there!"

The first-string players gave way to the reserves. Madam Hooch had no cause to object as it was her threat that gave them the idea in the first place. It was perfectly legit so she continued officiating as the reserves took to the air in their first proper match. The first-string players watched their reserves play. Even they were better than Slytherin! When the score was 110-60 the match would essentially come down to the seekers so he sent Shanahan out.

Reg was the only good player on the Slytherin team and it was sad because Regulus was very good. Still, he was only one player and one player could not win a Quidditch match unless that one player was The Stupendous Shanahan! She was singular! Reg spotted the Snitch first and this infuriated Shanahan. She, tore through the sky, like a bolt of lightning and she was on him, marking his every move. The Snitch escaped when a Bludger from Dor's replacement, a talented little flier named Annabelle Spinnett nearly unseated Reg. Shanahan abandoned marking Reg and rose high over the pitch looking around for the little, silver-winged, golden ball while Reg caught up to her. In the mean-time the rest of the team battled on and while the Slytherins did make several more goals, the Gryffindor reserves made more.

After about fifteen more minutes of play Gryffindor was still up by 70 and Shanahan saw the Snitch. She gave Regulus the evil eye, it was hovering right over his left ear. She shot straight for it and Regulus not realizing it was within his grasp dove out of her way, spun around and watched her snatch the stubborn little ball right out of the air, less than a wands length from his own hand.

"Finally! Gryffindor Wins!" Vance yelled along with the rest of the crowd who seemed to be thinking along the same lines.

Lily was shocked by the risk James had just taken but she knew he'd have a reason so she just ran onto the pitch along with everyone else. She found him along with Sirius, supporting Shanahan, their brilliant, little Seeker on their shoulders while they flew her to the ground. They looked not only happy about the win; they looked satisfied, as if this were something they had planned all along. Then she looked at Mars and Dor and they had the same satisfied looks on their faces. This was planned! Well ... it will be interesting to hear what it was meant to accomplish because it was obvious from her team's expression, it had in fact succeeded.

The final score was 310-130, Gryffindor. Lily waited with Remus, The Longbottom's as they were now becoming known, and the rest of her House for their team to emerge from the locker room. This time there would be a party in their common room to celebrate the victory and the reserve team who'd won it. After they paid their reserve team the attention they deserved, they slipped out in pairs and met in the boy's dorm.

"Spill!" Lily demanded the instant the dorm door closed.

"Flower! What do you mean by that?" Sirius feigned innocence and that made Lily even more annoyed.

"Cut the crap Sirius! What was all that about?" Lily waved her hands in the air to indicate flying and then just looked at the rest.

"Ask the Captain!" said Sirius nodding to James.

Mars answered before James even started to speak.

"It was the only way we could give the school a match! Lily, we could have won two seconds in and gained nothing for it. We have known for quite a while now that Slytherin's team is rubbish. It's not Regulus's fault, they're all green. They never stood a chance so we orchestrated this little performance to give everyone a match, let the reserves earn a win and to provoke a response. How will this change the way Slytherin House behaves? Will they stop laying-low and reveal something in the heat of their humiliation? It was actually my idea, not James's but he did approve and the reserves ... well, you can imagine how they felt about it! Keep the enemy off balance Lily, it's a proven strategy. Now we wait and watch. Believe me, they will react."

"Oh. I see ... I guess, so while you were up there doing whatever that was I was looking for Pete; he never showed up. What do you make of that?" Lily spat still annoyed for having been excluded from the plan.

Now it was James's turn to speak up.

"Pete is isolating but he'll come around. It's survivors guilt. We'll get Pete his revenge and today was part of all that. I learned that Reg is struggling with this recent leadership role but that's not surprising. It was thrust upon him before he was ready. I learned this when we shook hands at the start of the match. Slytherin House is not the united front they appear to be, demonstrated by their lack of teamsmanship. We have put the likes of Crabbe, Goyle, Avery on notice, so to speak due to our Quidditch strategy today. Being an undisciplined and inexperienced lot who lack an experienced leader, they will react. We also might still be able to get through to Reg; like I said, he had responsibility thrust upon him too soon. He's a fifth year, remember with no experienced players. So, we took a calculated risk and it has already paid in the information we gleaned today. We're betting it will continue to pay and we think that's be useful. We didn't keep it from you Lily, we kept it from everyone who is not a member of the team."

"It's true Lily. I had no knowledge of any such plan but it was a bodacious plan to be sure. Alice? Frank?" Both shook their heads so Remus continued. "The reserves are basking in their own glory which is good for Gryffindor House! I think it was brilliant!"

"Flower ... let's just see, where it leads us, eh? It was a good plan and it worked even better in actuality than it did in the theory and believe me that is rare!"

"All that yelling and even when Hooch threatened to sit you all down, that was planned?"

"Naw. Hooch would never go along with such a thing and we would never ask. She's the official! It was just us, the whole team, the reserves loved the idea as you can imagine. Besides, our whole plan could have gone tits-up, furthermore, though it is highly unlikely, we could have lost. Naw, I take that back, we could never have lost that match, but the rest, all the shouting and apparent team-discord, yea...that was all part of the plan. Besides, Mars got to call me arrogant in front of the whole school so it was a win-win!"

"Wow! Well...I'm speechless really. I had no idea that you were so ... so devious Mars! I'm not sure how to feel about that. I know Dor is devious but I didn't know you were!"

"Thank you, Lily. I'm glad you noticed. It was loads of fun, toying with them. Remember Lily, they're Slytherins. The deserved it!" Dor crossed her arms as she finished speaking as if to challenge Lily to contradict her. Lily didn't.

"It's a game Flower! Don't make more out of it than there is. We may love it but Quidditch is still just a game where as the war is not. Killing Mary was not and we chose to take a risk for the greater good. We'd have never actually lost!"

"Well, I still think Pete missing the match is a matter for concern and I suggest that we all go and try to find him. I admit he's starting to annoy me but I am sure I'm just being judgmental and impatient." Lily, looked around at all her other favorite faces, missing seeing Mary's there too, but waited for their answer.

"Your self-knowledge is a lesson to us all Flower."

"Let's check the Map first. If he's not on it, he could be in The Room of Requirement, he could be in the Forbidden Forest and he could be in Hogsmeade." James pulled out The Marauder's Map, activated it and eight pairs of eyes searched the map, looking for Pete.

"Maybe he's found some new place that we don't know abou and haven't put on the map? Maybe he's known about it all along and deliberately kept it secret. Though I never have thought of Pete as being that calculating. If that's the case then either he really doesn't want to be found or he wants to make us work very hard to find him," Remus said.

"Would Pete really do that, hide and hope that we all came looking for him?"

"I think in his current state Lily, he might." Remus supplied.

"Looks like we need a search party so we'll start with the castle first. Leave the Forbidden forest, to last." James looked at Sirius as he said this and there was some unspoken communication that passed between them but Lily was learning to trust James so she let it pass.

"Remus, Dor, you two take the kitchens and all the rooms that are on the way. Pads, Mars, you two check the Astronomy Tower, the classroom and the rest of the classrooms on that floor. Lily and I will check all the secret passageways and disused classrooms. Send word by Patronus when you find him."

"And what should we do commander?" Alice asked sarcastically, impersonating James perfectly.

"I wasn't finished Mrs. Longbottom; give us a chance! I would never forget you and our Head Boy!" Alice smiled when she heard this and awaited James's instructions. "You and Frank check the Room of Requirement and it's corridor, keep tabs on the common room, our corridor and our dorm. Ask the remaining Aurors and the portraits, the ghosts and since Frank is Head Boy he can ask Filch."

"I hope that Pete knows how many good friends he has." Alice said in an admonishing voice.

"James? What if he isn't here?" Frank asked.

"If we can't find him then we go to Dumbledore. Agreed?"

Everyone answered, "Agreed."

The search for Pete began. Frank and Alice made their way to the Room of Requirement. "Hey Alice? How much you wanna bet that Dumbledore appoints our James as Head Boy next year?"

"Well, he's never been a prefect but I don't think Dumbledore would be too fussed. He's rarely conventional. Honestly, when you're gone and out there hunting Dark Wizards, I'd feel better if James took your place. He admires you Frank, he's learned a lot about leadership from living with you and I think he'd do alright. What do you think? You are Head Boy?"

"I suggested him to Dumbledore. I think Dumbledore had him in mind anyway but I wanted to put my own two knuts."

"Nice word choice love, _you're own two knuts_? Let's not be donating those any time soon, eh? I still have use of them! Besides, what's up with all the lame knuts jokes this year anyway? Poorly named, knuts."

"No problem Alice. They are poorly named, knuts. How about two sickles then? Better?"

"Yes Frank. That's better."

On their way to the Astronomy Tower Mars and Sirius theorized. "I can't imagine why he would come here Sirius? Wouldn't it make him feel worse? He and Mary used the Astronomy tower all the time."

"Maybe. Then again, maybe not. The place where they were alone together, falling in love; I suppose it would make him desperately sad while helping him feel as close to her as he will ever be again. It sounds mad Mars but in the depth of his grief, he probably feels closest to her in those private places they shared with just each other and I can't imagine that he's ready to let that go." Sirius's eyes took on their sorrowful, grey hue and he stuffed his hands deep into his trouser pockets while looking out at the view of Hogwarts.

"Oh, Star Boy! You're sad about things that aren't going to happen! Don't you dare let this drag your imagination to dark places. We're fine! Don't be sad. Come here." Mars reached both of her hands out to Sirius and he pulled his hands out of his pockets to take hers and he wrapped them, Mars' hands, around himself. He bowed his head and buried it into her singular hair and just held her. Mars just held him back and didn't say an intelligible word but she hummed quietly in his ear and she rocked him in her arms. This man, this wizard was more precious to her than there were words for. She was the only person who knew all of Sirius, even James didn't know the Sirius she knew and she loved him. They stayed that way until Sirius relaxed. He didn't say thank you or sorry. He knew that Mars knew; she was his world. Pete's grief was spilling over into their lives. If one of them, Sirius or Mars were to die in this ghastly war then the other would forever, be lost.

Remus and Dor had just finished the kitchens, stocked up on chocolate while they made their inquiry's and now were making their way back through all the other rooms Pete might be in. They were holding hands and they were quiet. Pete's loss of the witch he loved was something that both Remus and Dor could relate to. Love is a funny thing. There really is no choice in the matter. The heart wants who the heart wants. There's no escape and no cure.

"Remus?"

"Dor?"

"I don't think we are going to find him. I don't think he's here, in the castle I mean. I feel like we've lost him already, our Pete. What if this grief destroys him?"

"I dunno. I s'pose that when you are falling in love and the person who has your heart, suddenly dies ... it must be unbearable. I'd go through a million transformations to keep you safe Dor. You know this of course, but it bears repeating."

"Oh, Moon Man, I do know that! Still, it's good for my heart to hear it. I'd kill before I let you die!"

"I know Dor and I don't ever want you to become a killer so I better just stay alive; for the benefit of your soul. Besides, werewolves can look after themselves most all of the time and when that fails, I'm a wizard!"

"Seriously though Remus, you know how I feel about you? You are the best person I know and you're hot and I've felt this way about you for so long ... I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever even notice me."

"I noticed you Dor. I just had issues with the way ... I am. It felt like a curse and I was loath to inflict it upon you and terrified that if you found out, you'd think I'm a monster. I've had my eye on you for a long time; never anyone but you."

"Well, as long as we getting things off our chests then you should know Remus Lupin that I plan to marry you one day and we can enjoy growing old together, raising our pups!"

"Pups? Did you just say pups? Dorcas Meadows, you are a bad little witch but if you behave, I might just let you marry me and bear me pups!"

"Excellent! Still, I made you laugh. Now, do you think Pete is here, in the castle?"

"Now you mention it, no. I don't think he's here but I also don't know where else he could be. Pete never fancied being on his own much, so wherever he might go was something I never thought to ask. Maybe the Forbidden Forest or Hogsmeade but the forest isn't really Pete's kind of place. No food, no comfy sofas, no safe place for a kip. But I don't feel him, you know what I mean?"

"I do. I don't feel him either."

James and Lily were working their way through all the hidden corridors and James was showing her their matching coordinates on the Map.

"Pete knows his way through all these hidden corridors and won't get lost?"

"Of course, Lily. He found loads of them himself and he drew the Marauder's Map so if anyone knows their way around this place, it's Pete."

"James?"

"Yes Lily?"

"I think losing Mary has broken Pete. He didn't come to the match. He missed a whole week of school. Now, he seems to have dropped off the face of the earth. I have this terrible feeling that ... Mary's murder was too much for him, ya know?"

"Sadly Lily, I think you may be right. All this is hitting too close to home. I just want Pete to remember that we need him and he has friends to help him bear his grief. But, if I lost you …. well, I'm certain it would break me. I can't see how anyone could pull me back from that abyss; not even Sirius. Not my parents. I'd prefer death over losing you! It's a terrible gift; love."

Lily and James were alone in some secret corridor. He mentioned love three times in less than as many days and unexpectedly, Lily felt afraid. It was getting late enough that the light here was low. Suddenly she stopped and felt an uncharacteristic need to run away, to disappear, just like Pete seemed to have done.

"James? Let's just run away together. Just you and me. We'll leave this war, this wicked war behind us and ... well, I dunno. We could live forever in your tower room! Oh, I don't know anymore! One minute I want to duel the lot of them and the next I am terrified! I'm scared for our lives James. I guess I'm not used to being afraid."

"We could you know; run. We could hide, be together, always." James offered.

"It's a dream. Just a dream James. You could never abandon our friends, your parents, our school, not really. And because I want you to be you, I couldn't either. Still, I sometimes feel like this war will be our end. I have all these dreams about living with you, raising a family, just like you said at Christmas during dinner. I want to do those things with you James, learn to keep bees and help your mum in the greenhouse, brew with your dad in his lab, fall asleep in your arms and wake to you every morning. What if none of it ever happens? What if this war breaks us?"

"Lily. Nothing will ever break us! Lily! Look at me. I am yours and you are mine. No force in existence can change that. All we can do is the best we can. We can try to protect the people we love and we can try to live up to the ideals that make us who we are. Just know that I will never leave you Lily. My life is yours!"

"Nor I, you, James. I will never leave you. Never."

They were quiet for a while and just took each other in. The look of the other's face, the feel of each other's skin. The scent of their living love. It was heartbreakingly glorious. Then after a little while or maybe after forever, without another word, they laced their fingers and continued their search for the elusive Pete.

After quite a long time searching they all met back in the common room. It was actually properly dark now and while not late, it felt late. It had been a strangely long day.

"Any luck?" James looked around at all his friends and they all shook their heads; their expressions mirrored his own. "Right. So, then we carry on. It's all we can do. First, we try Hogsmeade and then last, we check the Forest. This is not your average mission. Our Pete is out there, somewhere and I for one need to know where the hell he is and mostly I need to know he's alright."

"What about our Patronuses? We could send them out to search for Pete." Lily offered. It had only just occurred to her.

"You are brilliant Lily!" Mars actually shouted. "We should all just send them out and search while we plan our next move. They could carry Pete a message like, "Get your arse home Pete!""

So, they sent their Patronuses out to search for Pete. James, Sirius and Remus sent theirs out to secret places, places they currently couldn't go but knew Pete could, as Wormy.

Planning the Hogsmeade excursion took no time at all. They went through the secret passage way to the cellar below Honeydukes and snuck into the shop. It was late, the place was packed as always and they carried it off like they did this every day. Their search of the Village was methodical. They went to every shop, every home, they walked every street. They asked every person they met along the way if Pete had been in the village. The only answer they received was no, over and over again. Pete wasn't here. James and Sirius shared a look once they were safely back into the castle and then they both looked at Remus. Now was the perfect time. Alice and Frank had reluctantly returned to the library; Frank had N.E.W.T.'s to pass and it was too important to all of them that he did well and became an Auror. These six and Alice had insisted and besides there were very few places left to look. They, James and Sirius were enough to get this part done. Just the three witches could know, on that they had already agreed.

"I guess they were to find out sooner or later. I can think of no better reason to disclose it and seeing as Pete isn't here to agree or disagree, too bad. He has no say in the matter." Sirius sounded rather angry and sent a challenging look to his best mates. He received understanding looks and nods in return.

"Not here though. The Room of Requirement." James corrected. They would reveal their last and longest kept secret only to these three witches.

Apparently, the room knew about their last secret. When they were safely ensconced within its protective magic the three Marauders noted the size and the emptiness of the room. There was nothing here.

"How do you want to do this James?" Sirius asked, his body was relaxed and his face full of mischief.

"Remus, you keep the map. If the grounds aren't empty when you see us returning then send your Patronus so we don't blunder out and get caught."

"No problem. It'll be strange ... you in there without me. Be careful and ... well, just be careful, K?"

"No worries mate. We'll be back in no time with that little rat we call Wormy."

"Hang on! What are you three on about? You can't go in there! It's dangerous and it's dark. Wait until morning and then we'll all go."

"Lily there is only one secret left that I have kept from you. I told you once that it wasn't only my secret to tell. Well, it wasn't. It isn't. Mars and Dor don't know it either but we need to go into the forest and we also need you to trust that we'll be fine. Pads, you want to go first, or shall I?"

"We could try for simultaneous, I don't think we've ever done that before. Might as well use this as a moment for showing off! You three might want to give us some space here, especially for James, here. He's quite large." The witches stepped back obediently, confused but curious and then Sirius gave them the 'bit more' motion so they stepped back some more.

"Fine. Remus, you count and we change after three. You will probably never see this again in the castle. We've never done it in doors."

"What? See what?" Lily asked.

"Ready?" Remus asked.

"Ready." James and Sirius said together.

"One ... two ... three …"

Just after three, James and Sirius revealed their transformation into Prongs and Padfoot. It took place in stages the most important parts, head and chest first while limbs, tails and antlers came last. Lily gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. Mars' mouth formed a perfect O and she reached both hands up to cover her cheeks. Dor simply said, "Well I'll be damned!"

Padfoot walked straight to Mars, sat in front of her, looked right up into her eyes and she saw Sirius's calm grey eyes, looking back at her. She reached out a hand to touch him and he wagged his tail. She dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around him and started laughing. Then he licked her face with his great, wet tongue and nuzzled her just like a dog would do to its master, or in this case mistress. Then, he stood proudly and let her pet his head. She carried on scratching his neck. She rubbed her hand down his sides and along his length to the tip of his tail. Finally, she touched his paws and he rolled over, showing her his belly. He lay there, tongue lolling out of his mouth, a happy dog.

Prongs only needed to take two steps to place himself in front of Lily. He looked down into her over-bright eyes eyes and she saw James's delighted hazel eyes, looking down at her. She reached a hand up to touch his nose, then his face. James closed his eyes and leaned his great stag head into her tiny hands. She momentarily wondered about whether James would untransform back into himself naked. He certainly was naked now but he was not a wizard; he was a huge stag. He allowed Lily to investigate him. Lily was thinking even harder now about the form of his Patronus. It all made sense! She touched his soft nose and ran her hands along the length of his stag body. She walked around to his other side and did the same. He lowered his great antlered head so she could touch them as well. Surely, she was linked to James! Their Patronuses were proof.

Dor did not feel inclined to touch these two Animagi. She actually felt like she and Remus were accidentally insinuating themselves into something very private. Then, Padfoot rose back to his feet and walked over to Prongs and nudged his foreleg with his head. Prongs looked down at Padfoot, and took two steps back from Lily. Padfoot walked around to Prong's side and then as if they had done this a million times before, they closed their eyes and untransformed back into James and Sirius.

They stood there, James and Sirius, torn between sheepish and proud, waiting. Remus spoke up in the vacuum of silence.

"It took them the better part of three years to do this. Monte's library was crucial so we could research the whole process without accessing books from the restricted section of the library. They insisted that I would be better off, safer, happier and do less self-damage if I had companions during the full moon. I'm only dangerous to humans so as animals, they could stay with me. They are unregistered only because they are not supposed to know about me … no one is supposed to know about me but an awful lot of people seem to know, now. It's our last secret and before you scold them, try to remember that they did this for me because they are my best mates."

"And Brilliant! You're amazing! Both of you are the most brilliant wizards ever!" Lily was sort of shaking with shock and joy but mostly shock.

"Like she said..." Mars said vaguely. It was quite a lot to take in and she needed a moment to collect herself. Once her composure was reestablished she shouted. "This is bloody brilliant. Imagine how insufferable they'd be if McGonagall knew! We'd never hear the end of it!" Then, Mars walked right over to Sirius and kissed him hard on the mouth.

"I think you're just a couple of show-offs!" Dor said but as she started laughing before she even finished this condemnation they both knew that she was probably right even if they did do this for Remus. "So, you two go to the Shrieking Shack and stay with my wizard all night? Keep him safe and outta trouble?"

"We do. We have done for almost a year now." James was still waiting for Lily to move. He looked at her, eyes begging her to understand why they kept this secret from her. Lily ran to James, jumped into his arms.

"It was wonderful of you to do this for Remus. I will never tell as long as I live."

"Excellent!" Sirius barked. "Now to find our Wormy friend." He rubbed his hands together almost exactly the same way that Slughorn and Monty did when they were preparing to brew.

"We won't change on the grounds. We'll use the cloak, get to the Willow and enter the Forest from the Shrieking shack and change once we're in. You won't see us until we find him and then we'll make an appearance somewhere on the grounds so you may see us on the map first. No worries, we really will be fine and if Pete's in there we'll find him."

"We better crack on. This may take a while. Our senses are vastly improved when we're Padfoot and Prongs but then again Wormy's are too and he is very small." No one thought to ask what Pete's Animagus form was.

"We'll wait up for you. We'll stay in their dorm and watch the Map as Frank will need to go to bed eventually. These three can finagle some reason for Alice to stay with Frank, right?" The three witches merely nodded. "We'll wait and watch the forest the whole time and we will be here when you get back." Remus said. "I wish I were going with you. Too bad I can't just become Moony at will but Moony might not be much help."

"You might be right Remus. It's a sad first. Your werewolf senses would be useful as they put ours to shame. But without a virgin moon it's all moot. Still, we've never been in the forest without you mate. It'll suck but needs must." Sirius looked excited and impatient to start but equally sincere in his desire to mollify Remus.

James rolled his eyes like a wizard bemoaning his dog's need for a walk. Then a grin split his face from ear to ear.

"Cloak us James! Keep a light on!" Sirius said. James covered them with the cloak and they only knew that they were gone when to door to the Room of Requirement opened to let them leave.


End file.
